2 Samuel 11:11

The ark These wars were "the wars of Jehovah" (see note on ch. 2 Samuel 10:12), and the Ark had been taken along with the army as the symbol of His presence and favour. Cp. Joshua 6:6; 1 Samuel 4:3; 1 Samuel 14:18 (but see note there); 2 Samuel 15:24.

Israel, and Judah The description of the nation as "Israel and Judah" marks the tendency to isolation on the part of Judah, which had been confirmed by the separation in the early part of David's reign, and prepared the way for the permanent division of the kingdoms. See note on 1 Samuel 11:8, and Introd. ch. I. § 5 (d), p. 13.

tents Properly, booths, rough shelters or huts extemporised out of the boughs of trees.

as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth This form of oath does not occur elsewhere. We usually have either "as the Lord liveth" (ch. 2 Samuel 4:9), or "as thy soul liveth" (ch. 2 Samuel 14:19), or the two combined (1 Samuel 20:3). Possibly "as thou livest" is a textual error for "as the Lord liveth." The Sept. reads How? as thy soul liveth, &c.