CHAPTER XVI _Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth, meets David with provisions, and_ _by false insinuations obtains the grant of his masters_ _property_, 1-4. _Shimei abuses and curses David, who restrains Abishai from_ _slaying him_, 5-14. _Hushai makes a feigned tender of his services to Absalom_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:2. _THE ASSES_ BE _FOR THE KING'S HOUSEHOLD_] This is the Eastern method of speaking when any thing is presented to a great man: "This and this is for the slaves of the servants of your majesty," when at the same time the presents are intended for the sovereign himself, and are so... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:3. _TO-DAY SHALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL_] What a base wretch was Ziba! and how unfounded was this accusation against the peaceable, loyal and innocent Mephibosheth!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:4. _THINE_ ARE _ALL_] This conduct of David was very rash; he spoiled an honourable man to reward a villain, not giving himself time to look into the circumstances of the case. But David was in heavy afflictions, and these sometimes make even a _wise man_ mad. Nothing should be don... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:5. _DAVID CAME TO BAHURIM_] This place lay northward of Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin. It is called _Almon_, Joshua 21:18; and _Alemeth_, 1 Chronicles 6:60. Bahurim signifies _youths_, and Almuth _youth_; so the names are of the same import. _CURSED STILL AS HE CAME._] Used... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:10. _BECAUSE THE LORD HATH SAID_] The particle וכי _vechi_ should be translated _for if_, not _because_. FOR IF _the Lord hath_ _said unto him, Curse David, who shall then say, Wherefore hast_ _thou done so_!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:11. _LET HIM CURSE; FOR THE LORD HATH BIDDEN HIM._] No soul of man can suppose that ever God bade one man to curse another, much less that he commanded such a wretch as Shimei to curse such a man as David; but this is a peculiarity of the Hebrew language, which does not always dist... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:15. _THE MEN OF ISRAEL_] These words are wanting in the _Chaldee, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate_, and _Arabic_, and in two of _Kennicott's_ and _De Rossi's_ MSS.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:18. _WHOM THE LORD AND THIS PEOPLE - CHOOSE_] Here is an _equivocation_; Hushai meant _in his heart_ that God and all the people of Israel had chosen _David_; but he spake so as to make Absalom believe that he spoke of _him_: for whatever of insincerity may appear in this, Hushai i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 16:21. _GO IN UNTO THY FATHER'S CONCUBINES_] It may be remembered that David left _ten_ of them behind to take care of the house, see 2 Samuel 15:16. Ahithophel advised this infernal measure, in order to prevent the possibility of a _reconciliation_ between David and his son; thus was... [ Continue Reading ]