2 Samuel 16:18

_AND ABSALOM SAID TO HUSHAI, IS THIS THY KINDNESS TO THY FRIEND? WHY WENTEST THOU NOT WITH THY FRIEND?_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

15-23 The wisest counsellors of that age were Ahithophel and Hushai: Absalom thinks himself sure of success, when he has both; on them he relies, and consults not the ark, though he had that with him. But miserable counsellors were they both. Hushai would never counsel him to do wisely. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly; and so did as effectually betray him, as he did, who was designedly false to him: for they that advise men to sin, certainly advise them to their hurt. After all, honesty is the best policy, and will be found so in the long run. Ahithophel gave wicked counsel to Absalom; to render himself so hateful to his father, that he would never be reconciled to him; this cursed policy was of the devil. How desperately wicked is the human heart!...

Verse 2 Samuel 16:18. _WHOM THE LORD AND THIS PEOPLE - CHOOSE_] Here is an _equivocation_; Hushai meant _in his heart_ that God and all the people of Israel had chosen _David_; but he spake so as to make Absalom believe that he spoke of _him_: for whatever of insincerity may appear in this, Hushai is alone answerable. What he says afterwards may be understood in the same way....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 16:1 ZIBA THE SERVANT OF MEPHIBOSHETH. It is the misfortune of troubled times like those in which David found himself, that unscrupulous men use them for selfish purposes. For those in danger have no time for careful examination, nor are their minds sufficiently calm for impartial judgment, but they act on first impressions, and catch at every straw. Ziba's present would naturally raise everybody's spirits, and be taken as a good omen; for it showed that David had adherents in unlikely quarters, when thus a servant of the house of Saul of his own accord brought so timely an offering. The asses saddled for riding contradict the idea that Ziba met David by chance as he was bringing the produce of the farm for the use of Mephibosheth's household. More probably the asses had been saddled for Mephibosheth's own use, and

AND HUSHAI SAID TO ABSALOM,.... In answer to his questions: NAY, BUT WHOM THE LORD, AND HIS PEOPLE, AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL CHOOSE: here again he speaks very ambiguously; for this circumlocution, or descriptive character of the king of Israel, better agrees with David, whom he might bear in mind, than with Absalom; for the Lord had chosen David, and he was anointed by his order, and all the people of Israel had chosen and anointed him likewise; but as for Absalom, it was only a part of them that had declared for him, nor was there any evidence of the Lord's choosing him; though Hushai undoubtedly would be under stood of him, and as interpreting the voice of the people to be the voice of God: HIS WILL I BE, AND WITH HIM WILL I ABIDE; though he designed no such thing, which was a great piece of dissimulation and hypocrisy; and if he meant David, it was a piece of deceit and equivocatio...

6. THE SORROWS AND TESTINGS OF THE KING CHAPTER 16 _ 1. Lying Ziba (2 Samuel 16:1)_ 2. Shimei curses and stones David (2 Samuel 16:5) 3. Absalom enters Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:15) 4. Ahitophel's wicked counsel (2 Samuel 16:20) Ziba in great craftiness meets the exiled king with provisions and acts as the false accuser of Mephibosheth. And David hastily puts all that belongs to Mephibosheth into his hands. Strange that David could believe in the falsehood of Ziba. How could one who was a helpless cripple aspire to possess a kingdom? Mephibosheth had been deceived ...

Soon after passing the summit of the Mt. of Olives David is met by Ziba, the servant of Meri-baal (2 Samuel 4:4), with a present of two asses laden with provisions. Ziba, representing that Meri-baal has turned traitor, obtains a grant of his property. 2 SAMUEL 16:5. At Bahurim, somewhere on the way to the Jordan, Shimei, a kinsman of Saul, follows David, uttering curses and throwing stones. David refuses to retaliate, feeling that his sufferings may move Yahweh to pity him. 2 SAMUEL 16:14. It is probable that the name of some place has dropped out. 1 Samuel 16:15 to...

CHOOSE. hath chosen....

Absalom's entrance into Jerusalem. Hushai's offer of his services 15. _And Absalom_, &c. The narrative of Absalom's proceedings is continued from ch. 2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 15:37. He seems to have entered Jerusalem soon after David left it, perhaps about noon on the same day. _the men of Israel_ The term _Israel_is constantly applied to Absalom's followers in this narrative. It is used in a general sense, and not to signify the northern tribes as distinguished from Judah, for the strength of the insurrection, originally at any rate, lay in the south. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 15:10. Those who remained faithful to David are never called _the men of Judah_, but simply the p

WHEN KING DAVID CAME TO BAHURIM, BEHOLD, THENCE CAME OUT—SHIMEI—AND CURSED.— This vile and calumnious treatment of Shimei was one of the severest trials of patience that ever human magnanimity endured. The accusation, 2 Samuel 16:8 was notoriously false, and the king for that reason could bear it the better. But his servants saw it not in the light of their master's equanimity, but of his enemy's insolence. Abishai, David's nephew, could not bear it, but begged the king's permission to _take off_ the traitor's _head_ that uttered it, 2 Samuel 16:9 which David absolutely refused; adding a rebuke to his refusal, 2 Samuel 16:10. _What have I to do with you,_ &c.?—So let him curse, because the Lord