Bede

And David smote them, etc. Christ smites heretics in two ways: either by chastising them to receive the faith or by anathematizing them to endure eternal punishment. Both of these forms of smiting extend from evening to evening, because they reach from the recognition of the error darkening the hearts, to either the bitterness of the same error's repentance for a time or eternal punishment. …

Commentary on Samuel ↗