INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 2 This chapter relates that David, upon inquiring of the Lord, was directed to go up to Hebron, and did, where he was anointed king of Judah, 2 Samuel 2:1. And that being told of the kindness of the men of Jabeshgilead in burying Saul, he sent them thanks, and promised... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THIS,.... After David had heard of the death of Saul and Jonathan, and made a lamentation over them, perhaps the next day; since David and his men are only said to mourn, and weep, and fast till even, 2 Samuel 1:10; THAT DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD; of the Word of the Lord,... [ Continue Reading ]
SO DAVID WENT UP THITHER,.... From Ziklag to Hebron, which was sixteen miles according to Bunting y AND HIS TWO WIVES ALSO, AHINOAM THE JEZREELITESS, AND ABIGAIL, NABAL'S WIFE, THE CARMELITE; who were beloved by him, and who had shared with him in his troubles, and which he took with him to partake... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS MEN THAT WERE WITH HIM DID DAVID BRING UP, EVERY MAN WITH HIS HOUSEHOLD,.... They and their families, and no doubt provided well for them when he was settled on the throne, who had shown themselves to be his faithful friends, closely attached to his interest, and had run the risk of their al... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN OF JUDAH CAME,.... The inhabitants of the tribe of Judah came from the several parts of it to Hebron, that is, the principal of them, the elders of each city: AND THERE THEY ANOINTED DAVID KING OVER THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; they did not take upon them to make him king over all Israel, but le... [ Continue Reading ]
AND DAVID SENT MESSENGERS UNTO THE MEN OF JABESHGILEAD,.... To return them thanks for their courage and boldness in rescuing the bodies of Saul and his sons out of the hands of the Philistines, and for their civility in the burial of them: AND SAID UNTO THEM, BLESSED [BE] YE OF THE LORD; which may... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW THE LORD SHOW KINDNESS AND TRUTH UNTO YOU,.... Or true kindness; confer real favours, bestow upon you good and substantial blessings, blessings indeed! AND I ALSO WILL REQUITE YOU THIS KINDNESS, BECAUSE YE HAVE DONE THIS THING. He not only prayed to God to bless them and reward them for it,... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE LET YOUR HANDS BE STRENGTHENED, AND BE YE VALIANT,.... And not be afraid of the Philistines, who might resent their conduct in taking away from them the bodies of Saul and his sons, whom they had hung up in triumph; and these men might fear they would bring their armies against them, a... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ABNER, THE SON OF NER, CAPTAIN OF SAUL'S HOST,.... This man's father, Ner, was Saul's uncle, 1 Samuel 14:50, and he was his own cousin, and being general of his army, a post he was willing to keep, might be the reasons for doing what he did, as follows: TOOK ISHBOSHETH THE SON OF SAUL; and who... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE MADE HIM KING OVER GILEAD,.... Which lay beyond Jordan, and included the tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh; these he prevailed upon to acknowledge Ishbosheth, their king, and proclaimed him king over them: AND OVER THE ASHURITES: that is, those of the house or tribe of... [ Continue Reading ]
ISHBOSHETH, SAUL'S SON, [WAS] FORTY YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGAN TO REIGN OVER ISRAEL,.... Being born the same year his father began to reign. 1 Samuel 31:6; AND REIGNED TWO YEARS; which some understand of these, and no more; and whereas David reigned seven years and a half over Judah, before he reigned... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TIME THAT DAVID WAS KING IN HEBRON OVER THE HOUSE OF JUDAH,.... And over them only, WAS SEVEN YEARS AND SIX MONTHS; to which being added thirty three years he reigned over all Israel in Jerusalem, made forty years and six months; and which, for the roundness of the number, is usually called... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABNER THE SON OF NER,.... Who was before captain of Saul's host, and now of Ishbosheth's: AND THE SERVANTS OF ISHBOSHETH THE SON OF SAUL; who seem to be not only his domestic servants, that waited upon him, or his courtiers, but his whole army by what follows: WENT OUT FROM MAHANAIM TO GIBEON;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOAB THE SON OF ZERUIAH,.... A sister of David, and this her son was general of David's army: AND THE SERVANTS OF DAVID, WENT OUT; that is, his army went out from Hebron to Gibeon, which was twenty four miles d to meet that under Abner; for though he had but one tribe with him, and Ishbosheth h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABNER SAID TO JOAB,.... Perceiving he made no motion towards an engagement with him, his orders from David being only to act on the defensive, and avoid as much as possible the effusion of blood: LET THE YOUNG MEN NOW ARISE, AND PLAY BEFORE US; with their swords after the manner of gladiators o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THERE AROSE AND WENT OVER BY NUMBER TWELVE OF BENJAMIN,.... Whom Abner had picked out of that tribe, being his own, and whom he knew to be stout and courageous men, and closely attached to him. It seems by this as if Abner's men, [WHICH PERTAINED TO] ISHBOSHETH, THE SON OF SAUL, passed over th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY CAUGHT EVERYONE HIS FELLOW BY THE HEAD,.... By the hair of his head with his hand: AND [THRUST] HIS SWORD IN HIS FELLOW'S SIDE; which he had in the other; SO THEY FELL DOWN TOGETHER; the twelve on each side, all the twenty four; some think only the twelve on Abner's side fell; but to me i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS A VERY SORE BATTLE THAT DAY,.... When the twenty four men fell together, and no decision could be made thereby, or any triumph on either side, both armies drew up in battle array, and fought very furiously: AND ABNER WAS BEATEN, AND THE MEN OF ISRAEL, BEFORE THE SERVANTS OF DAVID; the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WERE THREE SONS OF ZERUIAH THERE,.... In the battle, JOAB, AND ABISHAI, AND ASAHEL; Joab was the general of the array, Abishai was he who went into Saul's host at night, and took away his spear and cruse of water at his head, 1 Samuel 26:6; and it is for the sake of the third, Asahel, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ASAHEL PURSUED AFTER ABNER,.... Ambitious of the glory of taking or slaying the general of the army of Israel; trusting to his swiftness, not considering that the race is not always to the swift, and that he had to do with a veteran soldier, and he a raw young man, though valiant: AND IN GOING... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ABNER LOOKED BEHIND HIM,.... Perceiving one at his heels, and making haste up to him. AND SAID, [ART] THOU ASAHEL? for it seems he knew him personally, being well acquainted with his family: AND HE ANSWERED, I [AM]; so that they were very near to each other, as to discourse together, and be h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABNER SAID UNTO HIM,.... Having a respect for him, and consulting his good, and however fearing his brother Joab should he slay him: TURN THEE ASIDE TO THY RIGHT OR TO THY LEFT; he does not advise him to go back, which would have been to his disgrace, having engaged in the pursuit, but to turn... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABNER SAID AGAIN TO ASAHEL,.... Being loath to dispatch him: TURN THEE ASIDE FROM FOLLOWING ME, WHEREFORE SHOULD I SMITE THEE TO THE GROUND? which was giving him fair warning, and letting him know what he must expect, if he did not desist from his pursuit: HOW THEN SHOULD I HOLD UP MY FACE TO... [ Continue Reading ]
HOWBEIT, HE REFUSED TO TURN ASIDE,.... Determined on making him his captive if possible. WHEREFORE ABNER, WITH THE HINDER END OF THE SPEAR; he had in his hand, which seems to have had a pike at both ends; so that with the hinder end of it, next to Asahel, he thrust it at him, without turning to him... [ Continue Reading ]
JOAB ALSO AND ABISHAI PURSUED AFTER ABNER,.... Or rather but Joab, c. n. They stood not still as the rest, but, filled with indignation and resentment, pursued after Abner, to be avenged on him: AND THE SUN WENT DOWN WHEN THEY CAME TO THE HILL OF AMMAH a hill by the side of which was a pool of wate... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER AFTER ABNER,.... Either those that were with him before, who upon the battle were dispersed, but now got together again; or others of that tribe, who, hearing of the defeat of Abner, went out of the several cities after him, to strengthen his... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ABNER CALLED TO JOAB,.... For having now a troop of men with him, he could stop with the greater safety; and being on an hill, and perhaps Joab on one opposite to him, could call to him, so as to be heard: AND SAID, SHALL THE SWORD DEVOUR FOR EVER? slay men, and devour their blood. See Jeremia... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOAB SAID, AS GOD LIVETH,.... Which was the form of an oath, swearing by the living God: UNLESS THOU HADST SPOKEN; that is, these words in 2 Samuel 2:14; "let the young men arise and play", that he had not given the challenge to fight: SURELY THEN IN THE MORNING THE PEOPLE HAD GONE UP EVERYONE... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JOAB BLEW A TRUMPET,.... Or caused one to be blown as a signal of a retreat: AND ALL THE PEOPLE STOOD STILL, AND PURSUED AFTER ISRAEL NO MORE; as soon as they heard the trumpet sound, the meaning of which they understood, they stepped at once, and left off their pursuit: NEITHER FOUGHT THEY ANY... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ABNER AND HIS MEN WALKED ALL THAT NIGHT THROUGH THE PLAIN,.... The plain of Jordan. He marched with his men all night, lest Joab should return, and pursue him, and take vengeance on him for the death of his brother: AND PASSED OVER JORDAN; at one of the fords of it: AND WENT THROUGH ALL BITHRO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOAB RETURNED FROM FOLLOWING ABNER,.... It being in his commission from David to shed as little blood as he could: AND WHEN HE HAD GATHERED ALL THE PEOPLE TOGETHER; who had been pursuing the Israelites, some one way and some another: THERE LACKED OF DAVID'S SERVANTS NINETEEN MEN, AND ASAHEL; w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE SERVANTS OF DAVID HAD SMITTEN OF BENJAMIN, AND ABNER'S MEN,.... Of those of the tribe of Benjamin that joined him, and of those that he brought with him from Mahanaim; so many of them were smitten, as appeared by their bodies lying on the field of battle, [SO THAT] THREE HUNDRED AND THREESC... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY TOOK UP ASAHEL,.... From the place where he fell; that is, Joab and Abishai, his brethren, as Josephus w relates; after they had buried the dead in the field of battle, they took up him: AND BURIED HIM IN THE SEPULCHRE OF HIS FATHER, WHICH [WAS IN] BETHLEHEM: not in the city of Bethlehem,... [ Continue Reading ]