Sheba's Rebellion 1, 2. Fresh outbreak of rebellion, headed by Sheba 1. _there_ At Gilgal. The dispute offered an immediate opening to a bold and ambitious leader, who hoped to restore the sovereignty to the tribe of Benjamin. _a man of Belial_ A WORTHLESS or WICKED man. Cp. 1 Samuel 10:27, and n... [ Continue Reading ]
_went up_ From Gilgal in the valley of the Jordan to the hill country of Ephraim.... [ Continue Reading ]
David's return to Jerusalem 3. _living in widowhood_ Either IN WIDOWHOOD FOR LIFE, or as the Targum explains it, IN WIDOWHOOD WHILE THEIR HUSBAND WAS STILL ALIVE. Since they had been appropriated by Absalom, they could no longer be regarded as members of the royal harem, nor could they be set at li... [ Continue Reading ]
The pursuit of Sheba. Amasa murdered by Joab 4. _to Amasa_ The commission was given to Amasa in fulfilment of the promise privately made to him (ch. 2 Samuel 19:13). _Assemble me the men of Judah_ Clearly then "the men of Judah" in 2 Samuel 20:2 were only a small body of representatives.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he tarried longer_ Some may have resented the change of generals and distrusted Amasa; some may have been half-hearted about David's restoration; so that he found that the task took longer than he expected.... [ Continue Reading ]
_to Abishai_ David now gave his orders to Abishai, being determined at any rate to supersede Joab. For the moment Joab seemed to acquiesce, and marched out under his brother's command (2 Samuel 20:7), intending to wait his opportunity. This speedily presented itself: without scruple he murdered his... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Cherethites, and the Pelethites_ See note on ch. 2 Samuel 8:18. _the mighty men_ Or _Gibbôrîm_. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 15:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the great stone which is in Gibeon_ Some isolated rock, well known as a landmark. _went before them_ Lit. _came before them_, i.e. MET THEM, apparently as he was returning to Jerusalem, after raising an army in Benjamin as well as in Judah. _And Joab's garment_, &c. This description of Joab's dre... [ Continue Reading ]
_took Amasa by the beard_ It is said to be still customary among the Arabs and Turks to lay hold of a person's beard in giving him the kiss of welcome.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in the fifth rib_ IN THE BELLY. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 2:23. _strake him not again_ Cp. 1 Samuel 26:8. _Strake_is an archaism for _struck._Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 12:15; Acts 27:17. _So Joab_ Better, BUT JOAB, &c. Covered with the stains of murder (1 Kings 2:5), Joab started in pursuit of Sheba, leavi... [ Continue Reading ]
_one of Joab's men_ One of Joab's YOUNG MEN, perhaps one of his armour-bearers (ch. 2 Samuel 18:15), remained by the corpse at Joab's command in order to invite Amasa's followers to join Joab. Time was too precious for Joab himself to lose a moment. _He that favoureth Joab_, &c. Lit. _He that delig... [ Continue Reading ]
_all the people_ Here and in 2 Samuel 20:13, the troops which Amasa had been mustering.... [ Continue Reading ]
Sheba besieged in Abel-Beth-Maachah 14. _And he went_ Joab marched rapidly northward, gathering forces as he went. _unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah_ Abel was apparently near Beth-Maachah, which is not elsewhere mentioned as a distinct place, and was commonly called Abel-beth-Maachah to distinguish i... [ Continue Reading ]
_cast up a bank_ The besiegers erected a mound of earth against the city wall to enable them to batter the upper and weaker part of it. This stood in "the trench" or outwork of the city: a term which includes the low outer wall and the space between it and the main wall. For mention of siege mounds... [ Continue Reading ]
_a wise woman_ Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 14:2. _out of the city_ The Sept. reads "from the wall.... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall surely ask counsel at Abel_ LET THEM BY ALL MEANS INQUIRE OF ABEL. The phrase is that commonly used for inquiring of God. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 16:23. The city had been proverbial for its wisdom from ancient times; men consulted it as an oracle for the settlement of their disputes; a city of... [ Continue Reading ]
_I_am one of them that are _peaceable_and _faithful in Israel_ I AM PEACEABLE AND FAITHFUL IN ISRAEL. The woman speaks in the name of the city, asserting its peaceableness and loyalty. By an irregularity of construction, hardly reproducible in English, the predicate is in the plural, referring to th... [ Continue Reading ]
_a man of mount Ephraim_ The name "mount Ephraim," applied to the central mountainous district of Palestine, was extended southwards so as to include part of the territory of Benjamin. See note on 1 Samuel 1:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in her wisdom_ The "Preacher" illustrates the truth that "wisdom is better than strength" by a parable strikingly similar to this incident, and possibly suggested by it (Ecclesiastes 9:13-16). _they retired_ THEY WERE DISPERSED to their several homes.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Joab_ Retaining his post in spite of David's resolution to depose him. _the Cherethites_ So the _Qrî_and the Sept. and Vulg.: but the _Kthîbh_has _the Cari_, a word found in 2Ki 11:4; 2 Kings 11:19 (E. V. wrongly _captains_), and like _Cherethites_variously explained to mean _executioners_, the bo... [ Continue Reading ]
The officers of David's court A similar list has already been given in ch. 2 Samuel 8:16-18. There the account of the general administration of the kingdom appropriately follows the summary record of the wars by which that kingdom was established; and the repetition of it here, after David's restor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Adoram_ Perhaps the same as _Adoniram_(1 Kings 4:6; 1 Kings 5:14), who held the office in Solomon's reign, and _Adoram_, who held it at the beginning of Rehoboam's reign (1 Kings 12:18), but possibly three persons of the same family, who succeeded one another in the office, are meant. The Sept. rea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sheva_ Or _Sheya_, apparently another name for the _Seraiah_of ch. 2 Samuel 8:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a chief ruler about David_ MINISTER TO DAVID. The post formerly held by David's sons. See on ch. 2 Samuel 8:18.... [ Continue Reading ]