_A.M. 2980. B.C. 1024._ Absalom steals the hearts of the people, 2 Samuel 15:1. He conspires against David, 2 Samuel 15:7. David flees from Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 15:13. He confers with Ittai, and passes over Kidron, 2 Samuel 15:19. Sends back Zadok with the ark, 2 Samuel 15:24. His prayer on this occ... [ Continue Reading ]
_Absalom prepared him chariots_, &c. When he thought he had established himself in his father's good affection, he began to take great state upon him, set up, as we now speak, a splendid equipage, and was royally attended, as being the king's eldest son, (now Amnon was dead,) and next heir to the cr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Absalom rose up early_ He accustomed himself to rise betimes in the morning, that he might make a show of solicitude for the good of the public, and of every private person. _When any man came to the king for judgment_ The king, it appears, reserved all weighty causes for his own hearing; and appea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Absalom said, See, thy matters are good and right_ Upon some very slight hearing of any man's cause he approved of it, that he might oblige him; flattering all that they had right on their side, so that, if their causes should go against them, they might conclude, if Absalom had been judge, it woul... [ Continue Reading ]
_Absalom said, O that I were made judge in the land!_ Though he was admitted to come to court, and see the king, he had no office there, as, it seems, the rest of the king's sons had. This he took ill, and endeavoured to bring the people to do so too, by persuading them that, if he were in authority... [ Continue Reading ]
_After forty years_ That is, as some say, from the change of the government into a monarchy, which change took place about ten years before David began to reign. So that this fell out about the thirtieth year of his reign. But the Syriac and Arabic, whom Houbigant follows, read, _After four years;_... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the Lord shall bring me again to Jerusalem_, &c. This vow, we see, of Absalom is conceived exactly in the style of the patriarchal piety; and plainly implies, that however he was tempted by his grandfather to serve the gods of Geshur, yet he continued steady to the true religion, and determined... [ Continue Reading ]
_Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes_ Before he left Jerusalem he took care to send his emissaries into all parts; doubtless under colour of inviting persons of distinction to the sacrifice; but in reality to carry the watchword and signal, before agreed on between them. _As soon as ye shal... [ Continue Reading ]
_With Absalom went two hundred men that were called_ That is, that were invited by him to feast with him on his sacrifice, and were such as he had picked out as fit for his purpose; principal persons of the city, no doubt, and of some reputation with the king and people. These he took with him that... [ Continue Reading ]
_Absalom sent for Ahithophel, David's counsellor_ None are more capable of doing mischief to kings than those who have been of their privy council, and know their secrets. It is supposed by the Jews that Ahithophel was incensed against David for his conduct to Bath-sheba, who they think, was his gra... [ Continue Reading ]
_There came a messenger to David_ It is probable some of the two hundred men who went innocently with Absalom from Jerusalem sent this messenger, who, however, did not go immediately on the first appearance of the conspiracy, but after it became manifest, through a great concourse of people openly t... [ Continue Reading ]
_David said, Arise, and let us flee_ As soon as he had received information of what had passed, he saw the danger was instant, and took his measures accordingly. He knew Absalom would lose no time to accomplish his design, and that the nature of it required him to strike home at once. David therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king went forth, and all his household after him_ Or, as the Hebrew, ברגליו, _berag-laiv_, rather means, _on foot:_ which the king probably chose to do, that he might humble himself under the hand of God; might encourage his adherents in this hard and comfortless march; and might move compassio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite_, &c. He seems to have been the commander of those six hundred men before mentioned. And the Jews make him the son of Achish, king of Gath, who, they say, out of religion and friendship came to David. _Return to thy place_ To Jerusalem, where thy place of res... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ittai answered, Surely in what place_, &c. Admirable and noble fidelity this in a stranger, when a son was a rebel against the father! He is a friend indeed, who loves at all times, and will cleave to us in adversity. Thus should we cleave to the Son of David, so that neither life nor death may sep... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ittai the Gittite passed over_ The brook Kidron, as it follows in the next verse. _And all the little ones that were with him_ This shows that his whole family were come to sojourn in Judea. And being so deeply engaged for David, he durst not leave his little ones to Absalom's mercy.... [ Continue Reading ]
_All the country wept_ All about Jerusalem, and the generality of the people by whom they passed, being extremely afflicted to see their king, under whom they had lived in great peace and prosperity, reduced to such extremities. It must be considered, that Absalom's friends and partisans were gone t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him_ They knew David's great regard for them and their office, notwithstanding his failings; and the arts which Absalom had used to gain the people's affections had made no impression upon them. They saw that he had little religion in him, and therefore the... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark_ This he ordered, 1st, Through his care of and reverence for the ark, which, though it might be carried out to a certain place, yet, he might justly think, ought not to be taken about from place to place, he knew not whither. And, 2d, Lest, if he had car... [ Continue Reading ]
_Art thou not a seer? Return into the city in peace_ “It should seem from hence,” says Delaney, “that Zadok was a prophet: however, as a priest, he was a teacher; and as such, bound to stay with his people in the greatest exigencies, and instruct them in their duty: besides that, by staying to do hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up_ To think that one who was the offspring of his own body should thus lift up the heel against him, and reflecting on his own conduct in the matter of Uriah, as the cause of this calamity. _And had his head covered_ Through shame an... [ Continue Reading ]
_One told David_ Or, _David told;_ that is, being informed that Ahithophel was among the conspirators, he mentioned it to his friends, to excite them to join with him in the following prayer against him. _Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness._ Either infatuate him, that he may give foolis... [ Continue Reading ]
_The top of the mount, where he worshipped_ Looking, doubtless, toward Jerusalem, where the ark and tabernacle, which he had made for it, were. _Hushai, the Archite came to meet him_ Probably he was from Archi, a city in the tribe of Ephraim, (see Joshua 16:2,) and coming to Jerusalem, was made one... [ Continue Reading ]
_If thou passest on with me, thou shalt be a burden_, &c. For he was not provided, it seems, with sufficient support for his own family; and Hushai, though famous as a counsellor in the cabinet, being unpractised in the camp, and no soldier, could not be so useful to him in the army as he might be a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king_, &c. This crafty counsel of David to Hushai, advising him to use such great dissimulation, cannot be justified. It must, of necessity, be reckoned among his sins, as being a plain violation of the law of truth, and only intended to deceive. Neverthel... [ Continue Reading ]
_They have there with them their two sons_ Not in Jerusalem, but in a place near it, to which they could easily send upon occasion. _So Hushai came into the city_ Where, it is likely, he waited for the coming of Absalom. And having got thither before him, he so ordered his affairs that it was not kn... [ Continue Reading ]