And when David was a little past the top [of the hill], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. Ver. 1. _Met him with a co... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses [be] for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. Ver. 2. _What meanest thou by these?_] Is it thy mast... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king said, And where [is] thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. Ver. 3. _For he said, Today shall the house of Israel._] A shameless and senseless slander, uttered by... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine [are] all that [pertained] unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee [that] I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. Ver. 4. _Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth._] Thus poor Mephibosheth is condemned and punished _ca... [ Continue Reading ]
And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. Ver. 5. _And when king David came to Bahurim._] Which was not far from Jerusalem. There is no small cruelty in... [ Continue Reading ]
And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men [were] on his right hand and on his left. Ver. 6. _And he cast stones at David._] He both spake and cast stones against David: not that he could thereby harm him, but the more to show his h... [ Continue Reading ]
And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: Ver. 7. _Come out, come out, &c._] _Prima semper irarum tela maledicta aunt: et quod non possumus imbecilli, optamus irati._ _a_ Calvin _b_ maketh mention of an insolent heretic, who, though he had as... [ Continue Reading ]
_The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man._ Ver. 8. _The Lord hath returned upon the... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. Ver. 9. _Why should this dead dog curse my lord?_] Abishai was no less zealous for David his kinsman than Shimei was for his, and would fain have... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? Ver. 10. _What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?_] So that Joab, it seemeth, as well as Abishai, had a han... [ Continue Reading ]
_And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him._ Ver. 11. _Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels._] If we can... [ Continue Reading ]
It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. Ver. 12. _It may be the Lord will look on mine affliction._] Heb., On mine eye, or tears; for _Iisdem quibus videmus oculis flemus; et lachrymas angustiae exprimit Crux._ And that... [ Continue Reading ]
And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. Ver. 13. _And cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust._] Heb., Dusted him with dust: and this he did all along the way, t... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king, and all the people that [were] with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. Ver. 14. _And they refreshed themselves there,_] viz., at Bahurim, 2Sa 16:5 where yet they stayed not long: for when the messengers came thither from Hushai, David was gone, leaving Shimei to feed upo... [ Continue Reading ]
And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. Ver. 15. _The men of Israel._] Perhaps the deputies of the commonality for the choosing of a new king. _ And Ahithophel with him._] That archartist in hellish policy: as ill a counsellor to Absalom, as J... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. Ver. 16. _God save the king._] So Squier cried out cheerfully, God save Queen Elizabeth, when at the same time he poisoned the pummel of her sadd... [ Continue Reading ]
And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? Ver. 17. _Is this thy kindness to thy friend?_] He saith not, To my father: for so he should have tacitly taxed himself of far greater ingratitude, and fouler disloyalty, than he had done Hushai.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. Ver. 18. _His will I be, and with him will I abide._] His argument had been good, saith Martyr, if David had been dead, and the state had generally acc... [ Continue Reading ]
And again, whom should I serve? [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence. Ver. 19. _Whom should I serve?_] Here Hushai offereth Absalom his service, that he might dive into his secrets, and defeat his counsels.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. Ver. 20. _Then said, Absalom to Ahithophel._] As president of his council: Hushai was present, but forced to dissemble at that time. _a_ a _Mentitur impiissimo tyranno._ - _Mart._... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that [are] with thee be strong._ Ver. 21. Go in unto thy father's concubines.] O tongue worthy to... [ Continue Reading ]
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. Ver. 22. _Upon the top of the house._] Whence David first saw Bathsheba. And Absalom went in unto his father's concubines.] By a worse kind of incest than that of A... [ Continue Reading ]
And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, [was] as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. Ver. 23. _And the counsel,_] _q.d., _ Though this was horrid counsel, yet because it was _facinus maioris a... [ Continue Reading ]