2 Samuel 18:1
XVIII. (1) NUMBERED THE PEOPLE. — The word means rather _mustered._ David was some time at Mahanaim, organising the forces which continually gathered to him there.... [ Continue Reading ]
XVIII. (1) NUMBERED THE PEOPLE. — The word means rather _mustered._ David was some time at Mahanaim, organising the forces which continually gathered to him there.... [ Continue Reading ]
ITTAI THE GITTITE. — Comp. note on Judges 15:19. The arrangement of the army in three divisions was common both among the Israelites (Judges 7:16; Judg. 11:43; 1 Samuel 11:11) and their enemies (1 Samuel 13:17). Comp. also 2 Kings 11:5; David proposed to take the chief command in person.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THOU ART WORTH TEN THOUSAND OF US. — The Hebrew text reads _now,_ but without _thou,_ and as it stands must be translated, _now there are ten thousand like us;_ but the change of a single letter alters the word _now_ into _thou,_ and this change should unquestionably be made in accordance with t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SEEMETH YOU BEST. — David was nothing loth to avoid the personal encounter with his son, and readily yielded, He, however, encouraged the troops by reviewing them as they passed out, and improved the opportunity to give his generals special and public charge concerning Absalom. He speaks of him... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WOOD OF EPHRAIM. — No _wood of Ephraim_ on the eastern side of the Jordan happens to be elsewhere mentioned in Scripture. Yet it is plain that the battle must have been on that side of the river for the following reasons: (1) both armies were on that side beforehand, and there is no mention of t... [ Continue Reading ]
TWENTY THOUSAND. — This number seems large, but we really know nothing of the size of the forces engaged on either side; and if the phrase “that day” be taken, as often, with sufficient latitude to include the whole campaign of which this battle was the culmination, there is nothing surprising in th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WOOD DEVOURED MORE. — The battle and the pursuit covered a wide range of country; more were slain in the pursuit through the wood, both by accident and by the sword, than in the actual battle itself.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS HEAD CAUGHT HOLD OF THE OAK. — Absalom in his flight found himself among his enemies, and sought to escape into the denser parts of the forest. As he did so his head caught between the branches of a tree, his mule went from under him, and he hung there helpless. There is nothing said to support... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST MINE OWN LIFE. — The English, like the Vulg., here follows the margin of the Hebrew; the LXX., in most MSS., following the text, has _against his life._ Either makes a good sense, but the English is preferable. In this parley Joab thoroughly exposes his unscrupulous and self-willed character... [ Continue Reading ]
I MAY NOT TARRY THUS. — Joab evidently feels the home-thrusts made by the man in the argument, but, determined on his deed of violence, he sees that it is worse than useless to delay. His act was simply murder. In a lawless age it was defensible as the one act which terminated the rebellion and made... [ Continue Reading ]
BLEW THE TRUMPET. — Comp. 2 Samuel 2:28; 2 Samuel 20:22. With the death of Absalom the rebellion was at an end, and Joab would stop further slaughter.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY ONE TO HIS TENT. — An expression derived from the life in the wilderness, and meaning _every one to his home._ (Comp. Deuteronomy 16:7; Joshua 22:4; 1 Samuel 13:2; 2 Samuel 19:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 2 Samuel 20:22.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING’S DALE. — Called also in Genesis 14:17 “the valley of Shaveh.” Its site has not been identified, and writers differ as to whether it was near Jerusalem, in the valley of the Kidron, which seems probable, or was near the site of Sodom. On Absalom’s statement that he had no son, see note on 1... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT BEAR NO TIDINGS. — Ahimaaz appears to have been in favour both with David (comp. 2 Samuel 18:27) and with Joab. Joab, therefore, well knowing how painful to David would be the news of the death of Absalom, refused to let Ahimaaz bear it. The word is used, with rare exceptions, of good tid... [ Continue Reading ]
CUSHI. — Rather, the _Cushite,_ probably an Ethiopian slave in Joab’s service, for whose falling under the king’s displeasure he had little care.... [ Continue Reading ]
NO TIDINGS READY. — The phrase is a difficult one, and is translated by the LXX. “no tidings leading to profit,” and by the Vulg. “thou wilt not be a bearer of good tidings.” The simplest and most probable sense is “no tidings sufficient” for a special messenger; the Cushite had already carried the... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE WAY OF THE PLAIN. — The word used here is generally applied to the valley of the Jordan and hence it has been argued that the battle could not have been fought on the eastern side of the river, since, in that case, Ahimaaz could not have reached Mahanaim by the Jordan valley except by a long... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL IS WELL. — Literally, _Peace,_ as in the margin. This is the cry with which Ahimaaz greets the king in his eager haste, as soon as he comes within hearing. He then approaches and falls down reverentially, with a distinct announcement of the victory.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS... ABSALOM SAFE? — The king’s whole interest is centred in Absalom, and he cares for no other tidings. Ahimaaz skilfully, though untruthfully, evades the question. He had just been trained to untruthfulness in David’s service. THE KING’S SERVANT. — This can only refer to the Cushite; but by omit... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM. — To the Cushite’s tidings David replies with the same question as before; but this messenger does not appreciate the state of the king’s feelings, and answers with sufficient plainness, though in courteous phrase, that Absalom is dead.... [ Continue Reading ]
WAS MUCH MOVED. — David’s grief was not merely that of a father for his first-born son, but for that son slain in the very act of outrageous sin. His sorrow, too, may have gained poignancy from the thought — which must often have come to him during the progress of this rebellion — that all this sin... [ Continue Reading ]