XV. (1) PREPARED HIM CHARIOTS AND HORSES. — As a preparation for his rebellion, it was necessary to impress the people with his wealth and splendour. (Comp. 1 Kings 1:5, where Adonijah does the same thing.) This was the first use in Israel of chariots and horses as a part of regal pomp.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NO MAN DEPUTED OF THE KING. — There is no official _hearer_ appointed. It was impossible for the king to hear every case in detail; certain persons were therefore appointed to hear causes and report the facts to the king, who thereupon pronounced his judgment. Absalom uses the same arts whi... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER FORTY YEARS. — The reading is certainly incorrect. Absalom was born after David began his reign in Hebron, and his whole reign was only forty years. Absalom therefore was not yet forty at his death. The reading found in the Syriac and most MSS. of the Vulgate, and adopted by Josephus, _four_ y... [ Continue Reading ]
SENT SPIES. — These were agents who were to sound the people in the various parts of the land, and doubtless to communicate the conspiracy only secretly, and to those whom they found favourably disposed. They started from Jerusalem, perhaps, at the same time with Absalom, or possibly had been sent o... [ Continue Reading ]
WENT IN THEIR SIMPLICITY. — The two hundred guests whom Absalom had invited to take part with him in his sacrifices, were doubtless prominent and influential citizens of Jerusalem. That they were entirely ignorant of Absalom’s purposes shows the extreme secrecy with which the affair was managed. Abs... [ Continue Reading ]
SENT FOR AHITHOPHEL. — Giloh, the city of Ahithophel, was one of the groups of towns just south of Hebron (Joshua 15:51), and Ahithophel may have gone there in readiness to be summoned by Absalom. Why he deserted David does not appear. It has been conjectured that he was aggrieved at David’s treatme... [ Continue Reading ]
LET US FLEE. — The sequel abundantly proved the wisdom of David’s course. Ahithophel also (2 Samuel 17:1) and Hushai (2 Samuel 17:7) recognised that delay would be fatal to Absalom’s cause. His rebellion was thoroughly unreasonable, and must lose ground with time given for reflection. By this course... [ Continue Reading ]
TARRIED IN A PLACE THAT WAS FAR OFF. — Better, _halted at the far house, i.e.,_ at a definite place known by this name, probably the last house on the outskirts of the city before the road crossed the Kidron. Here David mustered his forces and made the arrangements for his flight.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHERETHITES... PELETHITES. — See Note on 2 Samuel 8:18. GITTITES. — This word in its form would naturally mean _men of Gath,_ and it has therefore been understood by some commentators of a body of Philistines in David’s service. But the term is distinctly explained here as meaning the “six hundred m... [ Continue Reading ]
ITTAI THE GITTITE. — The patronymic must here be understood literally, since David calls him “a stranger and also an exile;” he had but comparatively recently (2 Samuel 15:20) attached himself to David’s service, bringing with him his family and others of his countrymen. From the fact that David aft... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BROOK KIDRON. — A valley with a watercourse, filled in winter, lying immediately east of Jerusalem, between the city and the Mount of Olives.... [ Continue Reading ]
ZADOK ALSO. — Zadok appears here as in charge of the ark, and David (2 Samuel 15:27) addresses him exclusively, while Abiathar is merely mentioned. This gives no indication of the relations existing between the two, but merely shows how matters went on this day of hurry and confusion. The language i... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM DO TO ME AS SEEMETH GOOD. — David recognises that he is suffering under the punishment pronounced by Nathan for his sin, and he seeks to throw himself entirely into the hands of God, trusting in His mercy. (Comp. 2 Samuel 24:14.) He is, therefore, unwilling to have the ark carried with him l... [ Continue Reading ]
ART NOT THOU A SEER? — The Hebrew is difficult, and must be translated either. _Art thou a seer?_ or, with a very slight change in a vowel, as an address, _Thou seer._ Zadok is so called because he was now in some sort to fulfil the office of a prophet in guiding David’s course, and also in making k... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PLAIN OF THE WILDERNESS. — This is the reading of the Hebrew margin here and at 2 Samuel 17:16, and is followed by the ancient versions. It is used for the wide valley of the Jordan in which Jericho is situated; but in both places the Hebrew text is better, _the fords,_ both as a more definite p... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE TOLD DAVID. — This is no doubt the meaning, but the preposition has dropped out of the Hebrew text, leaving it unintelligible, and reading literally, _and David told. _... [ Continue Reading ]
WHERE HE WORSHIPPED GOD. — Rather, _where men worship._ The original indicates a customary act. David had taken the road over the crest of the Mount of Olives, and there, in all probability, was one of those “high places” which abounded in Israel. HUSHAI THE ARCHITE. — His place is mentioned in Jos... [ Continue Reading ]
SAY UNTO ABSALOM. — David here counsels fraud and treachery, and Hushai willingly accepts the part assigned to him, in order to thwart Ahithophel’s counsel and weaken Absalom’s rebellion. The narrative simply states the facts without justifying them. But while we cannot too strongly condemn such a s... [ Continue Reading ]