INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 17 This chapter relates the advice Ahithophel gave to march out speedily with a number of men in pursuit of David, which at first seemed agreeable, 2 Samuel 17:1; but Hushai's opinion being asked, and he giving counsel to raise a larger army, which required time, and w... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, AHITHOPHEL SAID UNTO ABSALOM,.... Either at the same time, or quickly after he had given the foregoing advice: LET ME NOW CHOOSE OUT TWELVE THOUSAND MEN: out of those that were with Absalom, which shows their number to be large; and twelve thousand are pitched upon with respect to the twe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL COME UPON HIM WHILE HE [IS] WEARY,.... With travelling, and with grief, and when endeavouring to get some rest by sleep, and so surprise him unawares, when not on his guard, and in no posture of defence: AND WEAK HANDED; while the number of men with him is small, and before the people fr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL BRING BACK ALL THE PEOPLE UNTO THEE,.... Meaning not the people only that were with David, that he would make them prisoners, and bring them with him; for he before proposed to let them make their escape; but to reduce all Israel to the obedience of Absalom at once, by executing this sche... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SAYING PLEASED ABSALOM WELL, AND ALL ELDERS OF ISRAEL. That were of the privy council; for it was a well contrived scheme to surprise David his men by night, in the condition they were in; nothing like seizing an opportunity, and making quick dispatch in executing a villainous design; only i... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID ABSALOM, CALL NOW HUSHAI THE ARCHITE ALSO,.... For it seems he was not at the council board at this time; whether he was as yet admitted to it is not certain: there is something very remarkable in the providence of God, to incline Absalom to have the opinion of Hushai upon this point, when... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HUSHAI WAS COME TO ABSALOM,.... Into the council chamber, very probably: ABSALOM SPAKE UNTO HIM, SAYING, AHITHOPHEL HATH SPOKEN AFTER THIS MANNER; and then related the counsel he had given as before: SHALL WE DO [AFTER] HIS SAYING? is it right to proceed on this scheme, and carry it into... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HUSHAI SAID TO ABSALOM,.... Having leave to give his opinion freely: THE COUNSEL THAT AHITHOPHEL HATH GIVEN [IS] NOT GOOD AT THIS TIME; he owns that Ahithophel was a good counsellor, and that the counsel he gave was for the most part, if not always, good, but what he gave at this time was not s... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR (SAID HUSHAI) THOU KNOWEST THY FATHER AND HIS MEN, THAT THEY [BE] MIGHTY MEN,.... Men of courage and valour, and not such weak-handed and weak-hearted men, and so easily intimidated, as Ahithophel suggests: AND THEY [BE] CHAFED IN THEIR MINDS; or "bitter in soul" f; not merely filled with troub... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HE IS HID NOW IN SOME PIT, OR IN SOME [OTHER] PLACE,.... Some lurking place, as he was acquainted with many when he fled from Saul, and where he preserved himself from him; so that he could never take him, as he would now from Absalom, as he insinuates: but this is not all; not only by this... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE ALSO [THAT IS] VALIANT, WHOSE HEART IS AS THE HEART OF A LION, SHALL UTTERLY MELT,.... That is, whoever should hear of Absalom's forces, or a part of them, being routed, would be intimidated, though ever so courageous, or of such a lion-like temper and disposition; and even Ahithophel himself... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE I COUNSEL,.... My advice is as follows: THAT ALL ISRAEL BE GENERALLY GATHERED UNTO THEE, FROM DAN EVEN TO BEERSHEBA, AS THE SAND THAT [IS] BY THE SEA FOR MULTITUDE: not all the inhabitants of the land, but such as are fit to bear arms, or that were soldiers, employed in military affairs,... [ Continue Reading ]
SO SHALL WE COME UPON HIM IN SOME PLACE WHERE HE SHALL BE FOUND,.... For such a numerous army, which would be spread abroad, could not well fail of finding him out, let him be in what lurking place he would; whereas he might lie concealed, and escape so small a number as twelve thousand men: AND WE... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, IF HE BE GOTTEN INTO A CITY,.... A strong fortified place, thinking to secure himself there, where he might hold out against those that were risen against him; the former part of the account supposes him in the field, where he would soon be detected, if hidden in a pit or any other place,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABSALOM AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAID,.... That is, the elders, who before approved of the counsel of Ahithophel, 2 Samuel 17:4; THE COUNSEL OF HUSHAI THE ARCHITE [IS] BETTER THAN THE COUNSEL OF AHITHOPHEL; it appeared to them most plausible, and most likely to be attended with success: FOR T... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HUSHAI UNTO ZADOK AND TO ABIATHAR THE PRIESTS,.... After he was returned from the council board, he immediately went to these priests, who he knew were in the interest of David, and to whom he was to communicate, and by them transmit, what passed at Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 15:35; THUS AND THU... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE SEND QUICKLY AND TELL DAVID,.... What has been advised to on both sides: SAYING, LODGE NOT THIS NIGHT IN THE PLAINS OF THE WILDERNESS; which reached to Jericho; this advice he gave, because he knew not whether his counsel would be abode by, though preferred; Absalom and the elders of... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW JONATHAN AND AHIMAAZ STAYED BY ENROGEL,.... Who were the sons of the priests; these did not go into the city of Jerusalem with their parents, when they were sent back by David, 2 Samuel 15:27; but stayed by their direction at this place, which was near Jerusalem, and is called in the Targum the... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, A LAD SAW THEM, AND TOLD ABSALOM,.... Saw them conversing with the girl, and departing for David's army; according to Josephus o, they were some horsemen that saw them about two furlongs or a quarter mile from Jerusalem, and acquainted Absalom with it: BUT THEY WENT BOTH OF THEM AWAY... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WOMAN TOOK AND SPREAD A COVERING OVER THE WELL'S MOUTH,.... This woman, very probably, was the man's wife of the house, as Abarbinel notes; who took a cloth, and spread it over the well's mouth, that it could not be seen or known that there was a well there: AND SPREAD GROUND CORN THEREON:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN ABSALOM'S SERVANTS CAME TO THE WOMAN TO THE HOUSE,.... Who were sent after then, had intelligence which way they took, and into what house they turned: THEY SAID, WHERE [ARE] AHIMAAZ AND JONATHAN? calling them by their names, being persons well known, and as to them, so to the woman of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THEY WERE DEPARTED,.... The servants of Absalom: THAT THEY CAME UP OUT OF THE WELL; the sons of the priests, being informed by the woman that they were gone; Josephus s says they were drawn up by the woman with a rope: AND WENT AND TOLD KING DAVID; who was now in the plai... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN DAVID AROSE, AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT [WERE] WITH HIM, AND PASSED OVER JORDAN,.... Taking the advice of Hushai: BY THE MORNING LIGHT THERE LACKED NOT ONE OF THEM THAT WAS NOT GONE OVER JORDAN; they travelled all night, and before it was morning they had all passed the river in boats, or through... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN AHITHOPHEL SAW THAT HIS COUNSEL WAS NOT FOLLOWED,.... But that of Hushai: HE SADDLED [HIS] ASS; or ordered it to be saddled: AND AROSE, AND GAT HIM HOME TO HIS HOUSE, TO HIS CITY; which was Giloh in the tribe of Judah, 2 Samuel 15:12; AND PUT HIS HOUSEHOLD IN ORDER; made his will, and di... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN DAVID CAME TO MAHANAIM,.... A city on the other side Jordan in the tribe of Gad, Joshua 13:26, famous for its being the place where the angels of God met Jacob, Genesis 32:1; and was for some time the seat of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, 2 Samuel 2:8; AND ABSALOM PASSED OVER JORDAN, HE, AND ALL... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABSALOM MADE AMASA CAPTAIN OF THE HOST INSTEAD OF JOAB,.... Who was along with David: WHICH AMASA [WAS] A MAN'S SON WHOSE NAME [WAS] ITHRA, AN ISRAELITE; he is called Jether the Ishmaelite, 1 Chronicles 2:17; either because he was an Ishmaelite by birth, and being proselyted to the Jewish relig... [ Continue Reading ]
SO ISRAEL AND ABSALOM PITCHED IN THE LAND OF GILEAD. Which belonged to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; here the Israelites that were with Absalom encamped, in order to give battle to David and his men.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN DAVID WAS COME TO MAHANAIM,.... When he first came thither, 2 Samuel 17:24; THAT SHOBI THE SON OF NAHASH OF RABBAH OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON: who was either the son, or rather the brother of Hanun king of the Ammonites, that used David's ambassadors in so shameful a manner,... [ Continue Reading ]
BROUGHT BEDS,.... For David and his men, who, fleeing from Jerusalem in haste, could bring none with them, and therefore were ill provided while in the plains of the wilderness; the Septuagint version says there were ten of them, and that they were of tapestry, wrought on both sides, and such the an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HONEY AND BUTTER,.... Honey was much in use with the ancients; Homer b speaks of it as a part of the provisions at a feast, and as food with which persons were nourished and brought up; and the ancient Scythians lived on milk and honey c; and this and butter were pretty much the food of the peop... [ Continue Reading ]