fenders: these
concentrate their whole attention on the few vulnerable points, and give
but scanty care to those which are regarded as inaccessible.* Jerusalem
proved to be no exception to this rule; Joab carried it by a sudden
assault, and received as his reward the best part of the territory which
he had won by his valour.**

* Cf. the capture of Sardis by Cyrus (Herodotus) and by
Antiochus III. (Polybius), as also the taking of the Capitol
by the Gauls.

** The account of the capture of Jerusalem is given in 2
Sam. v. 6-9, where the text is possibly corrupt, with
interpolated glosses, especially in ver. 8; David's reply to
the mockery of the Jebusites is difficult to understand. 1
Citron, xi. 4-8 gives a more correct text, but one less
complete in so far as the portions parallel with 2 Sam. v.
6-9 are concerned; the details in regard to Joab are
undoubtedly historical, but we do not find them in the Book
of Samuel.

In attacking Jerusalem, David's first idea was probably to rid himself
of one of the more troublesome obstacles which served to separate
one-half of his people from the other; but once he had set foot in the
place, he was not slow to perceive its advantages, and determined to
make it his residence. Hebron had sufficed so long as his power extended
over Caleb and Judah only. Situated as it was in the heart of the
mountains, and in the wealthiest part of the province in which it stood,
it seemed the natural centre to which the Kenites and men of Judah must
gravitate, and the point at which they might most readily be moulded
into a nation; it was, however, too far to the south to offer a
convenient rallying-point for a ruler who wished to bring the Hebrew
communities scattered about on both banks of the Jordan under the sway
of a common sceptre. Jerusalem, on the other hand, was close to the
crossing point of the roads which lead from the Sinaitic desert into
Syria, and from the Shephelah to the land of Gilead; it commanded
nearly the whole domain of Israel and the ring of hostile races by which
it was encircled. From this lofty eyrie, David, with Judah behind him,
could either swoop down upon Moab, whose mountains shut him out from a
view of the Dead Sea, or make a sudden descent on the seaboard, by way
of Bethhoron, at the least sign of disturbance among the Philistines,
or could push straight on across Mount Ephraim into Galilee. Issachar,
N