2 SAMUEL CHAPTER 18 David viewing the armies in their march, giveth them charge of Absalom, 2 SAMUEL 18:1; whose men are smitten: he hanging by his hair on an oak, is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit: his pillar and monument, 2 SAMUEL 18:6. David hearing hereof, 2 SAMUEL 18:19, mourneth for Absalo... [ Continue Reading ]
UNDER THE HAND OF JOAB, to wit, for his especial conduct and management in the battle: otherwise Joab was the general of all the forces; nor had David yet taken away that power from him, nor was this a time to do it. But such distributions of forces are usual in battles. I WILL SURELY GO FORTH WITH... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT NOT GO FORTH; for this was Absalom's great error, into which he was drawn by a Divine infatuation, and by Hushai's craft, to go to battle in his own person, which was the utter ruin of him and of his cause. THOU ART WORTH TEN THOUSAND OF US; not only for the dignity of thy person, but als... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE GATE SIDE, i.e. _between the two gates of the city_, as it is expressed below, 2 SAMUEL 18:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
DEAL GENTLY WITH ABSALOM; if you conquer, (which he presaged they would by God's gracious answer to his prayer for the turning of Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness,) take him prisoner, but do not kill him. Which desire proceeded, partly, from his great indulgence towards his children; partly, fr... [ Continue Reading ]
So called, not from its situation in the tribe of Ephraim, which was on the other side Jordan, as is evident; but from some memorable action or occurrent of the Ephraimites beyond, Jordan; whether it was their killing of Oreb and Zeeb there, JUDGES 7:25, JUDGES 8:3, or their slaughter by Jephthah, J... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, i.e. the soldiers of Absalom; so called, partly to note that all Israel (some few excepted) were engaged in this rebellion, which made David's deliverance more glorious and remarkable; and partly in opposition to David's men, who, as to the main body, or most considerable part,... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BATTLE WAS THERE SCATTERED, i. e. the warriors being beaten in the fight, fled, and were dispersed; the abstract being put for the concrete, as _poverty_ is put for _poor men_, 2 KINGS 24:14, and _deceit_ for the _deceiver_, and _dreams_ for _dreamers_, PROVERBS 12:24, PROVERBS 13:6. THE WOOD DE... [ Continue Reading ]
ABSALOM MET THE SERVANTS OF DAVID, who, according to David's command, spared him, and gave him an opportunity to escape. HIS HEAD CAUGHT HOLD OF THE OAK; in which probably he was entangled by the hair of the head, which being very long and thick, might easily catch hold of a bough, especially when t... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
Why didst thou not smite him down from the oak, and with thy spear nail him to the ground? A GIRDLE; a military belt of more than ordinary price, as a testimony of thy valour and good service. SEE POOLE ON "1 SAMUEL 18:4".... [ Continue Reading ]
Or, _take heed what_ (for so the Hebrew pronoun _mi_ is sometimes used, as JUDGES 13:17) ye do _with the young man_. He expresseth David's sense, though not his words.... [ Continue Reading ]
Either, first, I should have been guilty of false and perfidious dealing against the king's express injunction, and that with the manifest hazard of my own life. Or, secondly I should have betrayed my own life. I should not only have deceived myself with false hopes, either of concealing my fact fro... [ Continue Reading ]
I MAY NOT TARRY THUS WITH THEE; I must not lose time in contending with thee till I let the occasion slip. THROUGH THE HEART OF ABSALOM; not properly so called, for he was yet alive after these wounds, and was slain, 2 SAMUEL 18:15; but through his middle, as the word heart is oft used, as PSALMS 46... [ Continue Reading ]
Judging that there could be no safety to the king, nor peace to the kingdom, nor security to himself, and all David's friends and loyal subjects, and good men, if Absalom had lived, as may seem probable from 2 SAMUEL 19:10, and yet perceiving that the king's heart was reconcilable to Absalom, notwit... [ Continue Reading ]
Who otherwise were highly incensed against the rebels, and hotly pursued them. But the head of the rebellion being cut off, and the danger thereby past, be puts a stop to the effusion of Israelitish blood.... [ Continue Reading ]
LAID A VERY GREAT HEAP OF STONES UPON HIM, as a lasting monument of Absalom's sin and shame, and of the righteous judgment of God upon him. Compare JOSHUA 7:26, JOSHUA 8:29 10:27. He was first hanged, after a sort, which was an accursed death, DEUTERONOMY 21:23; and then thrust through with darts an... [ Continue Reading ]
A PILLAR, to preserve his name in memory; whereas it had been more for his honour if his name had been buried in perpetual oblivion. But this was the effect of his pride and vain-glory. THE KING'S DALE; a place near Jerusalem so called. GENESIS 14:17. HE SAID, I HAVE NO SON. OBJECT. He had three son... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou shalt not be a messenger of evil tidings, which will be unwelcome to him, and prejudicial to thee.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO CUSHI, or, _to an Ethiopian_; so he might be by birth, and yet by profession an Israelite.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY SON; so he calls him with respect both to his younger years, and to that true and tender affection which he had for him.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAY OF THE PLAIN was the smoother and easier, though the longer way.... [ Continue Reading ]
BETWEEN THE TWO GATES; for the gates of the cities then were, as now they are, large and thick; and, for the greater security, had two gates, one more outward, the other inward. Here he sat, that he might hear tidings when any came into the city. UNTO THE WALL; unto the top of the wall or tower upon... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS TIDINGS IN HIS MOUTH; he is sent with some special message; which was a very probable conjecture; for if he had run or fled from the enemy, many others would have followed him.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
He loves me well, and therefore would not afflict me with evil tidings.... [ Continue Reading ]
Into thy hand and power; or, to destruction. Compare 1 SAMUEL 24:18, 1 SAMUEL 26:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE KING'S SERVANT, Cushi. I KNEW NOT WHAT IT WAS; he seems to tell an untruth, as is evident from 2 SAMUEL 18:20, because he now plainly perceived what Joab foretold him, that such tidings would be very unwelcome to David. But he made a bad choice, to offend God with a lie, rather than to displease... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
May they perish and be cut off, as he is.... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT UP TO THE CHAMBER OVER THE GATE; retiring himself from all men and business, that he might wholly give up himself to lamentation. David might speak thus from a deep sense of his eternal state, because he died in his sins, without the least testimony of repentance, and because David himself had... [ Continue Reading ]