2 Samuel 19:40

_THEN THE KING WENT ON TO GILGAL, AND CHIMHAM WENT ON WITH HIM: AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH CONDUCTED THE KING, AND ALSO HALF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL._ Gilgal ... all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. Whether from impatience to move on, or from some other cause, David did not wait until the representatives of all the tribes had arrived to conduct him on his return to the capital. The procession began as soon as Amasa had brought the Judahite escort, and the preference given to this tribe produced a bitter jealousy, which was nearly kindling a civil war, fiercer than that which had just ended. A war of words ensued between the chiefs of the various tribes, Israel resting their argument on their superior numbers: 'they had ten parts in the king,' whereas Judah had no more than one. Judah rested their right to take the lead, on the ground of their nea...

40-43 The men of Israel though themselves despised, and the fiercer words of the men of Judah produced very bad effects. Much evil might be avoided, if men would watch against pride, and remember that a soft answer turneth away wrath. Though we have right and reason on our side, if we speak it with fierceness, God is displeased....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 19:2 THE VICTORY (Hebrew, _the salvation_) THAT DAY WAS turned INTO MOURNING. Naturally, the people did not understand the poignant emotions caused by the activity of David's conscience, and were pained at this seeming ingratitude to them for their brave exertions in his behalf, and at what they must have regarded as indifference to the welfare of the nation. Nor would it be easy for us to understand his conduct during the flight from Jerusalem, and in bearing Shimei's imprecations so tamely, did we not find in the psalms written at this time that David was suffering extreme and even excessive self-reproach and mental anguish at his past sin. It was a relief to bear Shimei's rudeness, for God might remember it for good. Racked thus with self-

THEN THE KING WENT ON TO GILGAL,.... Which, according to Josephus n, was fifty furlongs from Jordan, six miles and a quarter: AND CHIMHAM WENT ON WITH HIM; after Barzillai had left them, and accompanied the king to Jerusalem: AND ALL THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH CONDUCTED THE KING; to Jerusalem; who came to meet him, 2 Samuel 19:15; AND ALSO HALF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL; or a part of them, as the word used signifies, and not always an equal half, so Kimchi observes; even such of Israel as went out with David at first, and the a thousand men of Benjamin that came to meet him, 2 Samuel 19:17. n Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4....

9. THE RETURN OF THE KING CHAPTER 19 _ 1. The continued grief of the king (2 Samuel 19:1)_ 2. The return of the king (2 Samuel 19:9) 3. Mercy shown to Shimei (2 Samuel 19:17) 4. Mephibosheth's joy (2 Samuel 19:24) 5. Barzillai and Chimham (2 Samuel 19:31) 6. Strife between Judah and Israel (2 Samuel 19:41) What grief must have been David's that “the victory of that day was turne

Joab induces the king to present himself to the people. 1 SAMUEL 19:9. THE RETURN OF DAVID (J). 2 SAMUEL 19:9. The two parts of 2 Samuel 19:11 must be transposed with the LXX, giving the following: Absalom's death left Western Palestine in a state of anarchy; the obvious remedy was the restoration of David, so that men said, Why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? And the king learned what was being said throughout Israel; and king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back? They were to promise Amasa that he should supplant Joab as commander-in-chief. The men of Judah invite the king

ALL... HALF. A whole-hearted act on the part of Judah: and. half-hearted act on the part of Israel. This explains what follows....

David's return. Episodes on the journey 16 23. Shimei sues for pardon...

_The People Greet the King._ 2 Samuel 19:16-43 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which _was_ of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 And _there were_ a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. 18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; 19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I

DAVID'S RETURN TO JERUSALEM David's excessive grief for Absalom is rebuked by Joab. He punishes Joab for Absalom's death by making Amasa commander of the army. The details of his return to Jerusalem are given, with the strife it caused between the men of Israel and the men of Judah. David has often been accused of ingratitude on account of his treatment of Joab. It has been urged that he would never have been secure with Absalom at liberty, and Joab knew how uncertain was his master's mind. On the other hand, it was a serious matter to murder the heir to the throne, for which deposition was probably a lenient punishment....