2 Samuel 20:11

_AND ONE OF JOAB'S MEN STOOD BY HIM, AND SAID, HE THAT FAVOURETH JOAB, AND HE THAT IS FOR DAVID, LET HIM GO AFTER JOAB._ He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. On the fall of Amasa, Joab of his own accord, assumed the command; and it is a striking proof of his unrivalled influence over the army, that with this villainous murder perpetrated before their eyes, they unanimously followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba. A soldier conjoined his name with David's, and such a magic spell was in the world. "Joab," that all the people "went on" - Amasa's men as well as the rest. The conjunction of these two names is very significant. It shows that the one could not afford to do without the other-neither Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating him....

4-13 Joab barbarously murdered Amasa. The more plot there is in a sin, the worse it is. Joab contentedly sacrificed the interest both of the king and the kingdom to his personal revenge. But one would wonder with what face a murderer could pursue a traitor; and how, under such a load of guilt, he had courage to enter upon danger: his conscience was seared....

Verse 2 Samuel 20:11. _HE THAT FAVOURETH JOAB_] As if he had said, There is now no other commander besides Joab; and Joab is steadily attached to David: let those therefore who are loyal follow Joab....

HE THAT FAVORETH JOAB ... - This speech, addressed to Amasa’s followers as well as Joab’s, shows very distinctly that the rivalry between Joab and Amasa, and David’s purpose to make Amasa captain in Joab’s room, were well known; and shows also the real reason why Joab killed Amasa. What is added, “and he that is for David,” was intended to identify Joab’s cause with David’s, and also to insinuate that Amasa had not been loyal to David (2 Samuel 20:5 note)....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 20:1 THERE HAPPENED TO BE THERE A MAN OF BELIAL. The fierce words of the men of Judah led to evil results. It was a time when all wise and thoughtful persons would have laboured for peace, and tried to soothe and appease the angry passions fomented by the late war. Instead of this, the men of Judah irritated the Israelites with insult and contumely, and the day, intended as one of rejoicing and of the restoration of David to his throne by common consent, saw the rebellion break forth afresh. Among those who had taken part in the discussion with Judah was Sheba, a man of Belial, that is, a worthless fellow, but possibly possessed of rank and influence; for, according to many commentators, _ben-Bichri _does not mean THE SON OF BICHRI, but "a descendant of Becher," the second son of Benjamin ...

AND ONE OF JOAB'S MEN STOOD BY HIM,.... By the body of Amasa; no doubt by the order of Joab, to satisfy the people as they came up, and reconcile them to this fact, and to exhort them not to stop, but to follow after Joab; for though Amasa their general was dead, Joab had taken the command of the army, and the pursuit was carried on with as much rigour as ever: AND SAID, HE THAT FAVOURETH JOAB, AND HE THAT [IS] FOR DAVID, [LET HIM GO] AFTER JOAB: he that likes Joab should be general, and is in the interest of David, let him make no stay here, but follow after Joab; Joab and David are put together, as if their interests were the same; though there seems to be an indecency in placing Joab first....

10. THE REVOLT OF SHEBA CHAPTER 20 _ 1. Sheba's revolt (2 Samuel 20:1)_ 2. The ten concubines shut up (2 Samuel 20:3) 3. Amasa's failure (2 Samuel 20:4) 4. Joab and the death of Amasa (2 Samuel 20:7) 5. Joab, the wise woman and the death of Sheba (2 Samuel 20:14) 6. David's officials (2 Samuel 20:23) The final revolt in David's reign was headed by a wicked man, whose name was Sheba. Israe

1 SAMUEL 20. THE REVOLT OF SHEBA (J). 2 SAMUEL 20:1 F. The result of this altercation was a fresh rebellion under a Benjamite, Sheba ben Bichri. 2 SAMUEL 20:3. The members of the king's harem whom he had left in Jerusalem are condemned to pass the rest of their days in seclusion (_cf._ 2 Samuel 16:21). 2 SAMUEL 20:4. David bade his new commander-in-chief, Amasa, assemble the general levy of Judah by a given day; the day came, but Amasa and the army did not appear. A few days before Amasa had been in command of an army fighting against Judah, and the men of Judah might be slow to tru

The pursuit of Sheba. Amasa murdered by Joab 4. _to Amasa_ The commission was given to Amasa in fulfilment of the promise privately made to him (ch. 2 Samuel 19:13). _Assemble me the men of Judah_ Clearly then "the men of Judah" in 2 Samuel 20:2 were only a small body of representatives....

HE SMOTE HIM— This action was attended with the highest perfidy and insolence. Many reasons concurred to prevent David's calling him to an account now; particularly his power, authority, and interest with the army: but it is plain that he never forgot this outrage of Joab's. 'That he highly resented it, we find in his last charge to Solomon, where he recommends and gives it in charge to his son to do justice on that bloody assassin. He was not now in a capacity to do it. Joab was too powerful a subject to be brought to account. After Absalom's death, he had the insolence to tell the king with an oath, that he would make every one of his subjects desert him; and after this assassination of Amasa, he resumed, contrary to his master's will, the command of all the forces, who had an affection for him as their own general, because he had restored the quiet of the land by quelling the insurrec...