CHAPTER XVIII _David reviews and arranges the people, and gives the command_ _to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai_, 1, 2. _On his expressing a desire to accompany them to the battle,_ _they will not permit him_, 3. _He reviews them as they go out of the city, and gives_ _commandment to the captains to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:3. _BUT NOW_ THOU ART _WORTH TEN THOUSAND OF US_] The particle יתה _attah, now_, is doubtless a mistake for the pronoun אתה _attah, thou_; and so it appears to have been read by the _Septuagint_, the _Vulgate_, and the _Chaldee_, and by two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:5. DEAL _GENTLY - WITH THE YOUNG MAN_] David was the _father_ of this worthless young man; and is it to be wondered at that he feels _as a father_? Who in his circumstances, that had such feelings as every man should have, would have felt, or acted otherwise?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:7. _TWENTY THOUSAND MEN._] Whether these were slain on the field of battle, or whether they were reckoned with those slain in the _wood_ of Ephraim, we know not.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:8. _THE WOOD DEVOURED MORE PEOPLE_] It is generally supposed that, when the army was broken, they betook themselves to the wood, fell into pits, swamps, c., and, being entangled, were hewn down by David's men but the _Chaldee, Syriac_, and _Arabic_, state that they were _devoured b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:9. _AND HIS HEAD CAUGHT HOLD OF THE OAK_] It has been supposed that Absalom was caught by the _hair_, but no such thing is intimated in the text. Probably his neck was caught in the fork of a strong bough, and he was nearly dead when Joab found him; for it is said, 2 Samuel 18:14,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:10. _I SAW ABSALOM HANGED IN AN OAK._] He must have hung there a considerable time. this man saw him hanging; how long he had been hanging _before_ he saw him, we cannot tell. He came and informed Joab; this must have taken up a considerable time. Joab _went_ and pierced him throug... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:11. _AND A GIRDLE._] The military belt was the chief ornament of a soldier, and was highly prized in all ancient nations; it was also a rich present from one chieftain to another. _Jonathan_ gave his to _David_, as the highest pledge of his esteem and perpetual friendship, 1 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:13. _THOU THYSELF WOULDEST HAVE SET THYSELF AGAINST ME._] This is a strong appeal to Joab's loyalty, and respect for the orders of David; but he was proof against every fine feeling, and against every generous sentiment.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:14. _I MAY NOT TARRY THUS WITH THEE_] He had nothing to say in vindication of the purpose he had formed. _THRUST THEM THROUGH THE HEART OF ABSALOM_] He was determined to make sure work, and therefore he pierced his _heart_. Joab should have obeyed the king's commandment: and yet... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:15. _TEN YOUNG MEN - SMOTE ABSALOM AND SLEW HIM._] That is, they all pierced the body; but there could be no life in it after three darts had been thrust through the heart: but they added as much as would have killed him had he been alive.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:16. _JOAB BLEW THE TRUMPET_] He knew that the rebellion was now extinguished by the death of Absalom; and was not willing that any farther slaughter should be made of the deluded people.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:17. _AND LAID A VERY GREAT HEAP OF STONES_] This was the method of burying heroes, and even traitors, the heap of stones being designed to perpetuate the memory of the event, whether good or bad. The ancient _cairns_ or heaps of stones, in different parts of the world, are of this... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:18. _REARED UP FOR HIMSELF A PILLAR_] There was a marble pillar in the time of Josephus called _Absalom's pillar_: and there is one shown to the present day under this name; but it is comparatively a modern structure. _ABSALOM'S PLACE._] Literally _Absalom's HAND_. 1 Samuel 15:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:21. _TELL THE KING WHAT THOU HAST SEEN_] At this time the death of Absalom was not publicly known; but Joab had given Cushi private information of it. This Ahimaaz had not, for he could not tell the king whether Absalom were dead. To this Joab seems to refer, 2 Samuel 18:22: "Thou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:24. _DAVID SAT BETWEEN THE TWO GATES_] He was probably in the seat of justice. Before the gate of the city it is supposed there was an enclosure, which had its gate also; David sat in the space between these two doors. Over the larger gate there appears to have been a turret, on wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:25. _IF HE_ BE _ALONE_, THERE IS _TIDINGS_] That is, _good_ _tidings_. For if the battle had been lost men would have been running in different directions through the country.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:29. _I SAW A GREAT TUMULT_] It was very probable that Ahimaaz did not know of the death of Absalom; he had seen the rout of his army, but did not know of his death. Others think he knew all, and told this untruth that he might not be the messenger of bad news to David.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:30. _STAND HERE._] He intended to confront two messengers, and compare their accounts.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:32. Is _THE YOUNG MAN ABSALOM SAFE?_] This was the utmost of his solicitude, and it well merited the reproof which Joab gave him, 2 Samuel 19:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Samuel 18:33. _O MY SON ABSALOM_] It is allowed by the most able critics that this lamentation is exceedingly pathetic. In what order the words were pronounced, for much depends on this, we cannot say. Perhaps it was the following: - בני אבשלום בני Beni Abshalom, beni! My son Absalom! O my... [ Continue Reading ]