2 Samuel 15 - Introduction
Absalom's Rebellion For the Psalms illustrative of this period see Introd. ch. VIII. § 6, p. 48.... [ Continue Reading ]
Absalom's Rebellion For the Psalms illustrative of this period see Introd. ch. VIII. § 6, p. 48.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Samuel 15:1-6. Absalom ingratiates himself with the people 1. _And it came to pass after this_ To recall Absalom without granting him a full pardon was ill-judged: to readmit him to favour, after he had been irritated by two years of exclusion, without the slightest sign of repentance on his part... [ Continue Reading ]
_beside the way of the gate_ By the side of the road leading to the gate of the king's palace, where he sat to transact business. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 19:8. From this practice the Sultan's government is still popularly called in Turkey "the Sultan's gate," and the Sublime Porte, which is the French equi... [ Continue Reading ]
_See, thy matters_, &c. He artfully flatters each suitor by pronouncing a favourable decision on his case, condoles with him on the improbability of his obtaining a hearing, and hints how differently matters would be managed if he were in power. _there is no man_, &c. This and not the marginal alte... [ Continue Reading ]
_put forth his hand_ Instead of allowing the people to do him homage as the king's son, he took them by the hand, and saluted them familiarly with a kiss. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 20:9. Compare the description of Bolingbroke's behaviour which Shakespeare puts into the mouth of Richard II.: Ourself and Bus... [ Continue Reading ]
_stole the hearts_ Robbed his father of the people's affection and transferred it to himself. Sept. ἰδιοποιεῖτο = made his own.... [ Continue Reading ]
Absalom's conspiracy 7. _after forty years_ There is no obvious date from which forty years could be reckoned in this way without specifying what point of time was intended. In place of _forty_we must read FOUR with Josephus and some of the ancient versions. The four years are to be reckoned in all... [ Continue Reading ]
_then will I serve the_Lord] By offering a sacrifice in accordance with his vow. Cp. Jacob's similar vow (Genesis 28:20-22).... [ Continue Reading ]
_spies_ Absalom's emissaries are called _spies_, because they were sent secretly to ascertain public feeling, and only divulge their real purpose where they could count on support. _the sound of the trumpet_ The signal for revolt and for the gathering of his supporters, like the hoisting of a stand... [ Continue Reading ]
_two hundred men … that were called_ Invited to the sacrificial feast as Absalom's guests. In all probability they were men of distinction, and would naturally be regarded, both at Jerusalem and at Hebron, as accomplices in the conspiracy. No doubt Absalom hoped that many of them, finding themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gilonite_ Formed from _Giloh_, as _Shilonite_(1 Kings 11:29) from _Shiloh_. Giloh was one of a group of cities in the mountains of Judah, to the south or south-west of Hebron (Joshua 15:51). _sent_for _Ahithophel_ The sense is no doubt right, but it cannot be got out of the existing text. Probably... [ Continue Reading ]
_The hearts_, &c. Cp. 2 Samuel 15:6; Judges 9:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
The king's flight from Jerusalem For the Psalms written during the Flight see Introd. ch. VIII. § 6, p. 48.... [ Continue Reading ]
_let us flee_ For the moment David's courage seems to have failed him. The calamities predicted by Nathan (ch. 2 Samuel 12:11), stared him in the face: a sack of Jerusalem with all the horrors of civil war seemed imminent: he could not face them, and retreat proved in the end to be the wisest course... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the king went forth_ "It was apparently early on the morning of the day after he had received the news of the rebellion that the king left the city of Jerusalem. There is no single day in the Jewish history of which so elaborate an account remains as that which describes this memorable flight.... [ Continue Reading ]
_tarried in a place that was far off_ Better, HALTED AT THE FAR HOUSE: the last house on the outskirts of the city, before the road crossed the Kidron. It seems to be used almost as a proper name _Beth-merchak_for the locality. Here David halted, while his troops passed in review before him, and cro... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the Gittites_ If the text is sound, we must infer that David had brought with him a body of Philistine followers from Gath, a supposition which is in accordance with the view that the Cherethites and Pelethites were Philistines. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 8:18. But it is possible that we should f... [ Continue Reading ]
The fidelity of Ittai 19. _Ittai the Gittite_ A distinguished Philistine who had quite recently (2 Samuel 15:20) migrated from his home with his family and followers (2 Samuel 15:22) to enter David's service. From the fact that he shared the command of the army with Joab and Abishai (ch. 2 Samuel 1... [ Continue Reading ]
_I go whither I may_ Not knowing where he might find a home, as in the old days of his flight from Saul. Cp. 1 Samuel 23:13. _take back thy brethren: mercy and truth_be _with thee_ The Hebrew as it stands must be rendered: _take back thy brethren with thee in mercy and truth_: but the true text is... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ittai answered_ Compare Ruth's answer to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17).... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the country_ Lit. _all the land_: the inhabitants who stood by to watch the procession, as distinguished from _all the people_, the army and retinue of followers accompanying David. _the brook Kidron_ THE RAVINE OF KIDRON is the deep ravine on the east of Jerusalem, now commonly known as the Va... [ Continue Reading ]
The Ark sent back to Jerusalem 24. _and Abiathar went up_ The Ark halted, to allow the people who were still coming out of the city time to overtake the procession. Meanwhile Abiathar went on up the Mount of Olives, for some purpose which is not stated, possibly to watch the stream of people coming... [ Continue Reading ]
_his habitation_ Jerusalem, and in particular the tent where the Ark was kept, was "the habitation" (Exodus 15:13), the earthly "dwelling-place," of Jehovah (1 Kings 8:13), so far as that could be said of any special locality (1 Kings 8:27). For the thought cp. Psalms 43:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have no delight in thee_ For as he had sung in the confident faith of happier days, deliverance from his enemies depended on God's good pleasure. See ch. 2 Samuel 22:20, and cp. 1 Kings 10:9. _behold_here am _I_, &c. Words of true resignation and humble submission to the will of God. He felt tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Art not _thou a seer_ An obscure expression variously explained. (1) _Art thou a seer_? The high-priest is supposed to be called a _seer_, because he received divine revelations by means of the Urim and Thummim; but there is no trace of such a use of the term elsewhere. (2) _Dost thou see_? i.e. und... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the plain of the wilderness_ The level district of the Jordan valley near Jericho, called elsewhere "the plains of Jericho." Cp. Joshua 5:10; 2 Kings 25:5; and note on ch. 2 Samuel 2:29. Instead however of _plains_which is the traditional reading (Qrî), the written text (Kthîbh) has _fords_. Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Hushai commissioned to defeat Ahithophel 30. _the ascent of_mount _Olivet_ Lit. BY THE ASCENT OF OLIVES: the name _mount Olivet_is derived from _mons oliveti_in the Vulgate of Acts 1:12. The "mount of Olives" is the ridge which rises on the east of Jerusalem above the Kidron ravine, screening the ci... [ Continue Reading ]
_the top_of the mount] _The head_or _top_is used here and in ch. 2 Samuel 16:1 almost as a proper name, and would naturally refer to the highest summit, where the high place would most probably be. David seems to have taken the road leading directly over the hill to Bahurim (see note on ch. 2 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto whom David said_ AND DAVID SAID UNTO HIM. _a burden unto me_ Perhaps Hushai was old and somewhat infirm. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 19:35.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and say unto Absalom_ "Hushai's conduct is certainly no model of Christian uprightness. It is therefore curiously instructive to see it made the warrant of a similarly questionable act in modern times. Sir Samuel Morland, Secretary of State to Cromwell, in describing his betrayal of his master to C... [ Continue Reading ]
_David's friend_ "The king's friend" was a regular state-officer, the king's confidential adviser. Cp. 1 Chronicles 27:33 (E. V., _companion_); 1 Kings 4:5.... [ Continue Reading ]