2 Samuel 20:23

_NOW JOAB WAS OVER ALL THE HOST OF ISRAEL: AND BENAIAH THE SON OF JEHOIADA WAS OVER THE CHERETHITES AND OVER THE PELETHITES:_ Now Joab was over all the host. David, whatever his private wishes, found that he possessed not the power of removing Josh; so, winking at the murder of Amasa, he re-establisbed that officer in his former post of commander-in-chief. The enumeration of David's cabinet is here given to show that the government was re-established in its normal course....

23-26 Here is the state of David's court, after his restoration. It is well when able men are appointed to discharge public duties; let all seek to perform those duties, as faithful servants to the Son of David....

Verse 2 Samuel 20:23. _JOAB_ WAS _OVER ALL THE HOST_] He had murdered Amasa, and seized on the supreme command: and such was his power at present, and the service which he had rendered to the state by quelling the rebellion of Sheba, that David was obliged to continue him; and dared not to call him to account for his murders without endangering the safety of the state by a civil war. _BENAIAH - OVER THE CHERETHITES_] Benaiah was over the _archers_ and _slingers_. 2 Samuel 8:18....

NOW JOAB ... - This is by no means an unmeaning repetition. Joab had been dismissed to make room for Amasa, and was now, as the result of his successful expedition against Sheba, and the death of Amasa, reinstated in his command. Moreover, this was a fresh beginning of David’s reign, and therefore a statement of his chief officers is as proper as in 2 Samuel 8:16, when he had just established himself on the throne of Israel. Compare 1 Kings 4:2....

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 ...

NOW JOAB [WAS] OVER ALL THE HOST OF ISRAEL,.... Established in the post in which he formerly was; either having been never displaced, which though David thought to do, he was not able to effect it, because of his power and influence with the people; or if he had displaced him, which by some things in this chapter seemed to be the case, yet Amasa being dead, and the rebellion crushed by Joab, which still made him more haughty, and increased his popularity, David saw it most advisable to replace him; and because mention is made of him, as established in his office as general over the whole army, an account is given of the rest of David's officers; and the rather, as it was a sort of beginning his reign anew, after quelling the above rebellions: AND BENAIAH THE SON OF JEHOIADA [WAS] OVER THE CHERETHITES, AND OVER THE PELETHITES; was continued in his post, see 2 Samuel 8:18.

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

BENAIAH. Compare 2 Samuel 8:18. 2Sa 23:20. 1 Kings 1:8; 1 Kings 2:34....

_Joab_ Retaining his post in spite of David's resolution to depose him. _the Cherethites_ So the _Qrî_and the Sept. and Vulg.: but the _Kthîbh_has _the Cari_, a word found in 2Ki 11:4; 2 Kings 11:19 (E. V. wrongly _captains_), and like _Cherethites_variously explained to mean _executioners_, the body-guard acting in that capacity, or _Carians_, foreign mercenaries employed as a body-guard....