Damascus
one of the most ancient and most important of the cities of Syria. It is situated 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem, in a plain of vast size and of extreme fertility, which lies east of the great chain of Anti-Libanus, on the edge of the desert. This fertile plain, which is nearly circular and about 30 miles in diameter, is due to the river Barada, which is probably the “Abana” of Scripture. Two other streams the Wady Helbon upon the north and the Awaj, which flows direct from Hermon upon the south, increase the fertility of the Damascene plain, and contend for the honor of representing the “Pharpar” of Scripture. According to Josephus, Damascus was founded by Uz grandson of Shem. It is first mentioned in Scripture in connection with Abraham, ( Genesis 14:15 ) whose steward was a native of the place. ( Genesis 15:2 ) At one time david became complete master of the whole territory, which he garrisoned with israelites. ( 2 Samuel 8:5 , 6 ) It was in league with Baasha, king of Israel against Asa, ( 1 Kings 15:19 ; 2 Chronicles 16:3 ) and afterwards in league with Asa against Baasha. ( 1 Kings 15:20 ) Under Ahaz it was taken by Tiglath-pileser, ( 2 Kings 16:7 , 8 , 9 ) the kingdom of Damascus brought to an end, and the city itself destroyed, the inhabitants being carried captive into Assyria. ( 2 Kings 16:9 ) comp. Isai 7:8 and Amos 1:5 Afterwards it passed successively under the dominion of the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans and Saracens, and was at last captured by the Turks in 1516 A.D. Here the apostle Paul was converted and preached the gospel. ( Acts 9:1-25 ) Damascus has always been a great centre for trade. Its present population is from 100,000 to 150,000. It has a delightful climate. Certain localities are shown as the site of those scriptural events which specially interest us in its history. Queen’s Street, which runs straight through the city from east to west, may be the street called Straight. ( Acts 9:11 ) The house of Judas and that of Ananias are shown, but little confidence can be placed in any of these traditions.
Dan
(a judge). The fifth son of Jacob, and the first of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid. ( Genesis 30:6 ) (B.C. after 1753.) The origin of the name is given in the exclamation of Rachel. The records of Dan are unusually meagre. Only one son is attributed to him, ( Genesis 46:23 ) but his tribe was, with the exception of Judah, the most numerous of all. In the division of the promised land Dan was the last of the tribes to receive his portion, which was the smallest of the twelve. ( Joshua 19:48 ) But notwithstanding its smallness it had eminent natural advantages. On the north and east it was completely embraced by its two brother tribes Ephraim and Benjamin, while on the southeast and south it joined Judah, and was thus surrounded by the three most powerful states of the whole confederacy. It was a rich and fertile district; but the Amorites soon “forced them into the mountain,” ( Judges 1:34 ) and they had another portion granted them. Judges 18 . In the “security” and “quiet,” ( Judges 18:7 , 10 ) of their rich northern possession the Danites enjoyed the leisure and repose which had been denied them in their original seat. In the time of David Dan still kept its place among the tribes. ( 1 Chronicles 12:35 ) Asher is omitted, but the “prince of the tribe of Dan” is mentioned in the list of ( 1 Chronicles 27:22 ) But from this time forward the name as applied to the tribe vanishes; it is kept alive only by the northern city. In the genealogies of 1Chr 2 -12, Dan is omitted entirely. Lastly, Dan is omitted from the list of those who were sealed by the angel in the vision of St. John. ( Revelation 7:5-7 ) The well-known city, so familiar as the most northern landmark of Palestine, in the common expression “from Dan even to beersheba.” The name of the place was originally Laish or Leshem . ( Joshua 19:47 ) After the establishment of the Danites at Dan it became the acknowledged extremity of the country. It is now Tell el-Kadi, a mound, three miles from Banias, from the foot of which gushes out one of the largest fountains in the world, the main source of the Jordan.
Daniel
(judgment of God). The second son of David, by Abigail the Carmelitess. ( 1 Chronicles 3:1 ) In ( 2 Samuel 3:3 ) he is called Chileab. (B.C. about 1051.) The fourth of ’the greater prophets.” Nothing is known of his parentage or family. He appears, however, to have been of royal or noble descent, ( Daniel 1:3 ) and to have possessed considerable personal endowments. ( Daniel 1:4 ) He was taken to Babylon in “the third year of Jehoiakim” (B.C. 604), and trained for the king’s service. He was divinely supported in his resolve to abstain from the “king’s meat” for fear of defilement. ( Daniel 1:8-16 ) At the close of his three years discipline, ( Daniel 1:5 , 18 ) Daniel had an opportunity of exercising his peculiar gift, ( Daniel 1:17 ) of interpreting dreams, on the occasion of Nebuchadnezzar’s decree against the Magi. ( Daniel 2:14 ) ff. In consequence of his success he was made “ruler of the whole province of Babylon.” ( Daniel 2:48 ) He afterwards interpreted the second dream of Nebuchadnezzar, ( Daniel 4:8-27 ) and the handwriting on the wall which disturbed the feast of Belshazzar. ( Daniel 5:10-28 ) At the accession of Darius he was made first of the “three presidents” of the empire, ( Daniel 6:2 ) and was delivered from the lion’s den, into which he had been cast for his faithfulness to the rites of his faith. ( Daniel 6:10-23 ) cf. Bel and Dr. 29-42. At the accession of Cyrus he still retained his prosperity, ( Daniel 6:28 ) cf. Dani 1:21 Though he does not appear to have remained at Babylon, cf. ( Daniel 1:21 ) and in “the third year of Cyrus” (B.C. 534) he saw his last recorded vision, on the banks of the Tigris. ( Daniel 10:1 , 4 ) In the prophecies of Ezekiel mention is made of Daniel as a pattern of righteousness, ( Ezekiel 14:14 , 20 ) and wisdom. ( Ezekiel 28:3 ) The narrative in ( Daniel 1:11 ) implies that Daniel was conspicuously distinguished for purity and knowledge at a very early age. A descendant of Ithamar, who returned with Ezra. ( Ezra 8:2 ) A priest who sealed the covenant drawn up by Nehemiah, B.C. 445. ( Nehemiah 10:6 ) He is perhaps the same as No. 3.
David
(well-beloved), the son of Jesse. His life may be divided into three portions: His youth before his introduction to the court of Saul; His relations with Saul; His reign. The early life of David contains in many important respects the antecedents of his future career. It appears that David was the youngest son, probably the youngest child, of a family of ten, and was born in Bethlehem B.C. 1085. The first time that David appears in history at once admits us to the whole family circle. The annual sacrificial feast is being held when Samuel appears, sent by God to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as they pass before him, ( 1 Samuel 16:6-10 ) Samuel sends for the youngest, David, who was “keeping the sheep,” and anoints him. ( 1 Samuel 16:11-13 ) As David stood before Samuel we are enabled to fix his appearance at once in our minds. He was of short stature, with red or auburn hair, such as is not unfrequently seen in his countrymen of the East at the present day. In later life he wore a beard. His bright eyes are specially mentioned, ( 1 Samuel 16:12 ) and generally he was remarkable for the grace of his figure and countenance (“fair of eyes,” “comely,” “goodly,”) ( 1 Samuel 16:12 , 18 ; 17:42 ) well made and of immense strength and agility. His swiftness and activity made him like a wild gazelle, his feet like hart’s feet, and his arms strong enough to break a bow of steel. ( Psalms 18:33 , 34 ) After the anointing David resumes his accustomed duties, and the next we know of him he is summoned to the court to chase away the king’s madness by music, ( 1 Samuel 16:14-19 ) and in the successful effort of David’s harp we have the first glimpse into that genius for music and poetry which was afterwards consecrated in the Psalms. After this he returned to the old shepherd life again. One incident alone of his solitary shepherd life has come down to us—his conflict with the lion and the bear in defence of his father’s flocks. ( 1 Samuel 17:34 , 35 ) It was some years after this that David suddenly appears before his brothers in the camp of the army, and hears the defiant challenge of the Philistine giant Goliath. With his shepherd’s sling and five small pebbles he goes forth and defeats the giant. ( 1 Samuel 17:40-51 ) Relations with Saul.—We now enter on a new aspect of David’s life. The victory over Goliath had been a turning point of his career. Saul inquired his parentage, and took him finally to his court. Jonathan was inspired by the romantic friendship which bound the two youths together to the end of their lives. Unfortunately David’s fame proved the foundation of that unhappy jealousy of Saul towards him which, mingling with the king’s constitutional malady, poisoned his whole future relations to David. His position in Saul’s court seems to have been first armor-bearer, ( 1 Samuel 16:21 ; 18:2 ) then captain over a thousand, ( 1 Samuel 18:13 ) and finally, on his marriage with Michal, the king’s second daughter, he was raised to the high office of captain of the king’s body-guard, second only, if not equal, to Abner, the captain of the host, and Jonathan, the heir apparent. David was not chiefly known for his successful exploits against the Philistines, by one of which he won his wife, and rove back the Philistine power with a blow from which it only rallied at the disastrous close of Saul’s reign. He also still performed from time to time the office of minstrel; but the successive attempts of Saul upon his life convinced him that he was in constant danger. He had two faithful allies, however, in the court—the son of Saul, his friend Jonathan, and the daughter of Saul, his wife Michal. Warned by the one and assisted by the other, he escaped by night, and was from thenceforward a fugitive. He at first found a home at the court of Achish, among the Philistines; but his stay was short. Discovered possibly by “the sword of Goliath,” his presence revived the national enmity of the Philistines against their former conqueror, and he only escaped by feigning madness. ( 1 Samuel 21:13 ) His first retreat was the cave of Adullam. In this vicinity he was joined by his whole family, ( 1 Samuel 22:1 ) and by a motley crowd of debtors and discontented men, ( 1 Samuel 22:2 ) which formed the nucleus of his army. David’s life for the next few years was made up of a succession of startling incidents. He secures an important ally in Abiathar, ( 1 Samuel 23:6 ) his band of 400 at Adullam soon increased to 600, ( 1 Samuel 23:13 ) he is hunted by Saul from place to place like a partridge. ( 1 Samuel 23:14 , 22 , 25-29 ; 24:1-22 ; 26 ) He marries Abigail and Ahinoam. ( 1 Samuel 25:42 , 43 ) Finally comes the new of the battle of Gilboa and the death of Saul and Jonathan. 1Sam 31 . The reception of the tidings of the death of his rival and of his friend, the solemn mourning, the vent of his indignation against the bearer of the message, the pathetic lamentation that followed, will close the second period of David’s life. ( 2 Samuel 1:1-27 ) David’s reign.— As king of Judah at Hebron, 7 1/2 years. ( 2 Samuel 2:1 ; 2 Samuel 5:5 ) Here David was first formally anointed king. ( 2 Samuel 2:4 ) To Judah his dominion was nominally confined. Gradually his power increased, and during the two years which followed the elevation of Ish-bosheth a series of skirmishes took place between the two kingdoms. Then rapidly followed the successive murders of Abner and of Ish-bosheth. ( 2 Samuel 3:30 ; 4:5 ) The throne, so long waiting for him, was now vacant, and the united voice of the whole people at once called him to occupy it. For the third time David was anointed king, and a festival of three days celebrated the joyful event. ( 1 Chronicles 12:39 ) One of David’s first acts after becoming king was to secure Jerusalem, which he seized from the Jebusites and fixed the royal residence there. Fortifications were added by the king and by Joab, and it was known by the special name of the “city of David.” ( 2 Samuel 5:9 ; 1 Chronicles 11:7 ) The ark was now removed from its obscurity at Kirjath-jearim with marked solemnity, and conveyed to Jerusalem. The erection of the new capital at Jerusalem introduces us to a new era in David’s life and in the history of the monarchy. He became a king on the scale of the great Oriental sovereigns of Egypt and Persia, with a regular administration and organization of court and camp; and he also founded an imperial dominion which for the first time realize the prophetic description of the bounds of the chosen people. ( Genesis 15:18-21 ) During the succeeding ten years the nations bordering on his kingdom caused David more or less trouble, but during this time he reduced to a state of permanent subjection the Philistines on the west, ( 2 Samuel 8:1 ) the Moabites on the east, ( 2 Samuel 8:2 ) by the exploits of Benaiah, ( 2 Samuel 23:20 ) the Syrians on the northeast as far as the Euphrates, ( 2 Samuel 8:3 ) the Edomites, ( 2 Samuel 8:14 ) on the south; and finally the Ammonites, who had broken their ancient alliance, and made one grand resistance to the advance of his empire. ( 2 Samuel 10:1-19 ; 12:26-31 ) Three great calamities may be selected as marking the beginning, middle and close of David’s otherwise prosperous reign, which appear to be intimated in the question of Gad, ( 2 Samuel 24:13 ) “a three-years famine, a three-months flight or a three-days pestilence.” a. Of these the first (the three-years famine) introduces us to the last notices of David’s relations with the house of Saul, already referred to. b. The second group of incidents contains the tragedy of David’s life, which grew in all its parts out of the polygamy, with its evil consequences, into which he had plunged on becoming king. Underneath the splendor of his last glorious campaign against the Ammonites was a dark story, known probably at that time only to a very few—the double crime of adultery with Bath-sheba and the virtual murder of Uriah. The clouds from this time gathered over David’s fortunes, and henceforward “the sword never departed from his house.” ( 2 Samuel 12:10 ) The outrage on his daughter Tamar, the murder of his eldest son Amnon, and then the revolt of his best-beloved Absalom, brought on the crisis which once more sent him forth as wanderer, as in the days when he fled from Saul. ( 2 Samuel 15:18 ) The final battle of Absalom’s rebellion was fought in the “forest of Ephraim,” and terminated in the accident which led to the young man’s death; and, though nearly heartbroken at the loss of his son, David again reigned in undisturbed peace at Jerusalem. ( 2 Samuel 20:1-22 ) c. The closing period of David’s life, with the exception of one great calamity, may be considered as a gradual preparation for the reign of his successor. This calamity was the three-days pestilence which visited Jerusalem at the warning of the prophet Gad. The occasion which led to this warning was the census of the people taken by Joab at the king’s orders, ( 2 Samuel 24:1-9 ; 1 Chronicles 21:1-7 ; 27:23 , 24 ) which was for some reason sinful in God’s sight. 2Sam 24 . A formidable conspiracy to interrupt the succession broke out in the last days of David’s reign; but the plot was stifled, and Solomon’s inauguration took place under his father’s auspices. ( 1 Kings 1:1-53 ) By this time David’s infirmities had grown upon him. His last song is preserved—a striking union of the ideal of a just ruler which he had placed before him and of the difficulties which he had felt in realizing it. ( 2 Samuel 23:1-7 ) His last words to his successor are general exhortations to his duty. ( 1 Kings 2:1-9 ) He died, according to Josephus, at the age of 70, and “was buried in the city of David.” After the return from the captivity, “the sepulchres of David” were still pointed out “between Siloah and the house of the mighty men,” or “the guard-house.” ( Nehemiah 3:16 ) His tomb, which became the general sepulchre of the kings of Judah, was pointed out in the latest times of the Jewish people. The edifice shown as such from the Crusades to the present day is on the southern hill of modern Jerusalem commonly called Mount Zion, under the so-called “Coenaculum;” but it cannot be identified with the tomb of David, which was emphatically within the walls.
Degrees, Songs Of
a title given to fifteen Psalms, from 120 to 134 inclusive. Four of them are attributed to David, one is ascribed to the pen of Solomon, and the other ten give no indication of their author. With respect to the term rendered in the Authorized Version “degrees” a great diversity of views prevails, but the most probable opinion is that they were pilgrim songs, sung by the people as they went up to Jerusalem.
Delaiah
(freed by Jehovah). A priest in the time of David, leader of the twenty-third course of priests. ( 1 Chronicles 24:18 ) (B.C. 1014.) “Children of Delaiah” were among the people of uncertain pedigree who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. ( Ezra 2:60 ; Nehemiah 7:62 ) (B.C. 536.) Son of Mehetabeel and father of Shemaiah. ( Nehemiah 6:10 ) (B.C. before 410.) Son of Shemaiah, one of the “princes” about the court of Jehoiakim. ( Jeremiah 36:12 , 25 ) (B.C. 604.)
Dodo
(loving). A man of Bethlehem, father of Elhanan, who was one of David’s thirty captains. ( 2 Samuel 23:24 ; 1 Chronicles 11:26 ) He is a different person from DODO THE Ahohite , father of Eleazar, the second of the three mighty men who were over the thirty. ( 2 Samuel 23:9 ; 1 Chronicles 11:12 ) (B.C. before 1046).
Doeg
(fearful), an Idumean, chief of Saul’s herdmen. (B.C. 1062.) He was at Nob when Ahimelech gave David the sword of Goliath, and not only gave information to Saul, but when others declined the office, himself executed the king’s order to destroy the priests of Nob, with their families, to the number of 85 persons, together with all their property. ( 1 Samuel 21:7 ; 22:9 , 18 , 22 ; Psalms 52 )