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2 Samuel
Chapter Seventeen
New King James Version (NKJV)
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 was taken to
hereby the counsel of Ahithophel was
defeated
2 Samuel 17:5; upon
which he hanged himself
2 Samuel 17:23;
these different counsels being communicated by Hushai to the priests
they
found means to transmit them to David
with an instruction to him to pass over
Jordan immediately; which he did
and pitched in Gilead
and whither he was
followed by Absalom
2 Samuel 17:15; and
where he met with a supply of provisions for his army from some eminent persons
in and near that place
2 Samuel 17:27.
2 Samuel 17:1 Moreover
Ahithophel said to Absalom
“Now let me choose twelve thousand men
and I will
arise and pursue David tonight.
YLT
1And Ahithophel said unto
Absalom
`Let me choose
I pray thee
twelve thousand men
and I arise and
pursue after David to-night
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 twelve tribes of Israel
a
thousand from every tribe; Josephus has only ten thousand:
and I will arise and pursue after David this night; he took upon
him to be general of the army
as well as a counsellor; or this he said to show
how confident he was of the success of his counsel
that if Absalom
or any
other
should decline the conduct of the army upon it
as a hazardous attempt
he would undertake it himself; or rather it may be
he was not willing that
Absalom should go out in person with the army
not so much for his own safety
as lest through his affection for the king he should spare him
when he fell
into his hands
or they two should be reconciled; he proposed to do it that
night
partly for expedition
no time being to be lost
and partly for the
greater surprise of David and his men.
2 Samuel 17:2 2 I will come upon him while
he is weary and weak
and make him afraid. And all the people who are
with him will flee
and I will strike only the king.
YLT
2and come upon him
and he
weary and feeble-handed
and I have caused him to tremble
and all the people
have fled who [are] with him
and I have smitten the king by himself
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 from different parts can come to his assistance:
and will make him afraid; strike terror into him
and his then
by surprising them suddenly in the night with such a number of
men:
and all the people that are with him shall flee; one one way
and another another
for their own security
and leave David alone:
and I will smite the king only; dispatch him
and let
the people flee without pursuing them.
2 Samuel 17:3 3 Then I will bring back all
the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek
all the people
will be at peace.”
YLT
3and I bring back all the
people unto thee -- as the turning back of the whole [is] the man whom thou art
seeking -- all the people are peace.
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
scheme which he had formed:
the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned; meaning
David
whom he speaks of contemptibly
and whose life it seems Absalom sought
as well as his crown; and he being dead
it would be all over at once with the
people; they would immediately return to their own habitations
and yield
obedience to Absalom as the rightful heir and successor; all depended on his
death
he intimates: from whence it appears that Abarbinel is wrong in
suggesting that Absalom did not design to take away the life of his father
only to secure the kingdom to himself in his father's lifetime
who he
understood had disposed of it by his will to Solomon; but here Ahithophel
plainly declares the intention of Absalom
nor would he have proposed in plain
terms to take away the king's life
had Absalom been averse to it; and it is
plain by what follows that the thing was pleasing to him:
so all the people shall be
in peace; both parties coalesce under the government of Absalom
and live
peaceably under it
and so an entire end of the war.
2 Samuel 17:4 4 And the saying pleased
Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
YLT
4And the thing is right in
the eyes of Absalom
and in the eyes of all the elders of Israel.
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 it is strange
that Absalom could so easily come into a scheme to take away the life of so
indulgent a father
which is only to be accounted for by his ambition; but it
is stranger still that the elders of Israel should be pleased with it
and agree
to and determine upon the death of a prince
who had so many years ruled them
with justice and equity
clemency and mercy; and fought their battles for them
and raised their nation to such a pitch of glory it never had before.
2 Samuel 17:5 5 Then Absalom said
“Now
call Hushai the Archite also
and let us hear what he says too.”
YLT
5And Absalom saith
`Call
I
pray thee
also for Hushai the Archite
and we hear what [is] in his mouth --
even he.'
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 the counsel of Ahithophel was so universally approved of; and
Hushai also being well known to have been an intimate friend and confident of
David's
and not so settled and established in the interest of Absalom
and
such a sworn friend of his as Ahithophel was; this can only be ascribed to the
will of God
to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel
and the wisdom of divine
Providence in blinding the mind of Absalom with respect to his counsel
and
inclining it to take the opinion of Hushai:
and let us hear likewise what he saith; which he
might say without any diffidence about the "counsel" given
but
knowing that in the multitude of counsellors there is safety; and Hushai being
a wise and good counsellor
he might hope and expect that he would give the
same advice
and so strengthen and confirm it.
2 Samuel 17:6 6 And when Hushai came to
Absalom
Absalom spoke to him
saying
“Ahithophel has spoken in this manner.
Shall we do as he says? If not
speak up.”
YLT
6And Hushai cometh in unto
Absalom
and Absalom speaketh unto him
saying
`According to this word hath
Ahithophel spoken; do we do his word? if not
thou -- speak thou.'
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 execution?
if not
speak thou; thy mind freely
without any reserve
or
fear of giving any offence.
2 Samuel 17:7 7 So Hushai said to Absalom:
“The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.
YLT
7And Hushai saith unto
Absalom
`Not good [is] the counsel that Ahithophel hath counselled at this
time.'
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 so; the wisest of men may sometimes be mistaken. Abarbinel
thinks he respects his former counsel
particularly that that was good
advising him to defile his father's bed
2 Samuel 16:21; but
this was not
for which he gives the following reasons.
2 Samuel 17:8 8 For
” said Hushai
“you
know your father and his men
that they are mighty men
and they are
enraged in their minds
like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your
father is a man of war
and will not camp with the people.
YLT
8And Hushai saith
`Thou
hast known thy father and his men
that they [are] heroes
and they are bitter
in soul as a bereaved bear in a field
and thy father [is] a man of war
and
doth not lodge with the people;
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"F6מרי נפש "amari animo"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"amaro animo"
V. L. Tigurine version
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator. ; not merely filled with trouble and anguish
and depressed in their
spirits
on account of that
as the phrase sometimes signifies; but enraged and
full of wrath at the rebellion raised against their prince
which obliged them
with him to leave their habitations; and now being desperate
their all lying
at stake
their wives and children
their families and estates
they would
fight furiously in the defence of the king and themselves
and not so soon flee
as Ahithophel had represented:
as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field; a bear is a
very furious creature
especially a she bear
and the more when it has whelps
and more so when deprived of themF7Aristot. Hist. Animal. l. 6. c.
18. & 9. 1.
when it ranges about in the field
and in its fury attacks
whomsoever it meets with; See Gill on Hosea 13:8
and thy father is a man of war; not only bold
and courageous
but expert and skilful in all the arts of war and not easy to
be surprised and circumvented
as Ahithophel intimated:
and will not lodge with the people; in the camp
but at some
distance from it; partly to prevent any traitorous design upon him in it
and
partly that he might not be surprised by the enemy
knowing that their chief
view was to seize his person; and therefore as it would not be easy to find him
where he was
he could not be smitten alone
as Ahithophel proposed.
2 Samuel 17:9 9 Surely by now he is hidden
in some pit
or in some other place. And it will be
when some of them
are overthrown at the first
that whoever hears it will say
‘There is a
slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’
YLT
9lo
now
he is hidden in
one of the pits
or in one of the places
and it hath been
at the falling
among them at the commencement
that the hearer hath heard
and said
There
hath been a slaughter among the people who [are] after Absalom;
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 means he
would shelter himself
and be in safety; but lying thus concealed with others
and in ambush
there would be danger of his staring out of his hiding place
when opportunity should offer
and falling on some of Absalom's troops
unawares:
and it will come to pass
when some of them be overthrown at the
first; that is
some of Absalom's party
on whom David and his men coming
out of an ambush should fall
and make a slaughter among them first
before
they could do anything of consequence; and so having got the first advantage
it would serve to animate them
and dishearten their enemies:
that whosoever heareth it; at that time
or the
next day:
will say
there is a slaughter among the people that follow
Absalom; there has been a defeat of them
and that may cause a defection.
2 Samuel 17:10 10 And even he who is
valiant
whose heart is like the heart of a lion
will melt completely.
For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man
and those
who are with him are valiant men.
YLT
10and he also
the son of
valour
whose heart [is] as the heart of the lion
doth utterly melt
for all
Israel doth know that thy father is a hero
and sons of valour [are] those with
him.
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
notwithstanding all his boasted courage
his heart would
fail
he would melt like waterF8
ηυτε λειβεαι υδωρ
Moschi Idyll 2. ver. 45.
Joshua 7:5; should
he meet with such a rebuff at first setting out. A lion is well known for its
courage as well as strength
and has not only a fierce countenance
hence we
read of lion-like men in their faces
2 Samuel 23:20; but
has a courageous heart
and from thence it is thought to have its name Labi
from "leb"
which signifies the heart; so Hercules is represented by
the poet as having a lion's heartF9
θυμολεοντα Homer. Iliad. 5. ver 639. Iliad. 7. ver. 228. Odyss.
11. ver. 279. Vid. Hesiod. Theogoniam prope finem.
and others also; though
Leo AfricanusF11Descriptio Africae
l. 3. p. 400. relates of some
lions in Africa that are so naturally fearful that they will flee at the cry of
children
particularly at a place called Agla; hence it became a proverb with
the inhabitants of Fez to call blustering cowards the lions of Agla; and he
speaks of great numbers of lions elsewhereF12Ib. p. 474.
who are
easily driven away with a small stick by the most timorous persons; but for the
most part lions are very bold and daring
as well as strong
to which the
allusion is here. Some apply this to David himself
who was a valiant man
and
whose heart was like that of a lion
and so read the last clause with an
interrogation: "shall he utterly melt?" no
he will not; he is not to
be made afraid so easily as Ahithophel has intimated:
for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man
and
they which be with him are valiant men: this is so
universally known that it cannot be denied.
2 Samuel 17:11 11 Therefore I advise that
all Israel be fully gathered to you
from Dan to Beersheba
like the sand that is
by the sea for multitude
and that you go to battle in person.
YLT
11`So that I have counselled:
Let all Israel be diligently gathered unto thee
from Dan even unto Beer-Sheba
as the sand that [is] by the sea for multitude
and thou thyself art going in
the midst;
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
in keeping garrisons
guarding the
coasts
&c. even the militia of the nation
from the extreme boundary of it
on the north to the extreme boundary of it on the south; in such a direction
lay Dan and Beersheba. This is opposed to the counsel of Ahithophel
which was
only to select twelve thousand men
and send them against David at once; and
this is designed chiefly to gain time
since such a collection could not be
made soon
and so David would have more time to get farther off
and to prepare
the better for his defence; and this advice might be the more agreeable to
Absalom
as it promised a greater certainty of success through numbers
and
might feed the vanity and ambition of that prince to have such a large army
under him
as well as suggested that all Israel were on his side
and at his
command
and might easily be gathered to him:
and that thou go to battle in thine own person; this was
another part of his advice opposed to the counsel of Ahithophel
who proposed
to have the command of the twelve thousand men himself
and to leave Absalom at
Jerusalem; now Hushai suggests that it would be more to his interest and his
honour to take command of the army himself
and go in person into the field of
battle; since this would serve to animate his soldiers
when they saw their
prince at the head of them
and he would have the glory of the victory
which
he might insinuate hereby Ahithophel sought to deprive him of: it is in the
Hebrew text
that "thy face" or "faces go to battle"F13פניך הלכים "facies tuae
euntes"
Montanus
"facies tua vadat"
Pagninus.
where he
might be seen in person
and have the oversight and direction of things
himself; the Targum is
"and thou shalt go at the head of us all;'and this
advice Hushai was directed to give
and which was taken
that Absalom might
fall in battle.
2 Samuel 17:12 12 So we will come upon him
in some place where he may be found
and we will fall on him as the dew falls
on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall
not be left so much as one.
YLT
12and we have come in unto
him in one of the places where he is found
and we [are] upon him as the dew
falleth on the ground
and there hath not been left of him and of all the men
who [are] with him even one.
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 will light upon him as the dew falleth upon the ground; whose drops
are innumerable
and cover all the ground where they fall; and the phrase not
only expresses their numbers
but the irresistible force they should come with
and the manner
secretly
unawares
opportunely; the Romans had a sort of
soldiers
called from the dew "rorarii"
who carried light armour
and fought first in the battle
from whence they had their name
because dew
falls before it rainsF14Valtrinus de Milit. Roman. l. 3. c. 3. :
and of him
and of all the men that are with him
there
shall not be left so much as one; so that for the future
Absalom would sit easy upon the throne
there being none left to molest him.
2 Samuel 17:13 13 Moreover
if he has
withdrawn into a city
then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we
will pull it into the river
until there is not one small stone found there.”
YLT
13And if unto a city he is
gathered
then they have caused all Israel to bear unto that city ropes
and we
have drawn it unto the brook till that there hath not been found there even a
stone.'
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
or if he appeared openly would quickly be overthrown by the
numerous forces of Absalom; and here it suggests
should he betake himself to a
city for shelter:
then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city; scaling
ropes
and thereby get upon and over the walls of it
and take it by storm; or
engines worked with ropes
used for the demolishing of cities; so Tacitus
speaks of "vincula tormentorum"
the bands or ropes of engines
as
Grotius observes; the Targum renders it by "armies"
thus
"all
Israel shall be gathered against the city
and surround it with armies
'besiege
it in form
and so surround it that David could not possibly make his escape
out of it
nor could it hold out long against such numerous forces; or this is
an hyperbolical expression
as Kimchi calls it
signifying that their numbers
would be so many
that they could soon and easily demolish it:
and we will draw it into the river; by the side of which it
was built
or the ditch or trench around it
or the valley near it
that being
built on an hill; and by this boasting
bragging
hyperbolical expression
he
signifies that they should be able easily and utterly to destroy its walls
buildings
and towers
as if a number of men were to fasten a rope about
anything
and by their main strength
and through their numbers
draw it down
whither they pleased:
until there be not one small stone found there; and this
being the case
David and his men must inevitably fall into their hands
and
none escape.
2 Samuel 17:14 14 So Absalom and all the men
of Israel said
“The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the
advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed to defeat
the good advice of Ahithophel
to the intent that the Lord might bring
disaster on Absalom.
YLT
14And Absalom saith -- and
all the men of Israel -- `Better [is] the counsel of Hushai the Archite than
the counsel of Ahithophel;' and Jehovah willed to make void the good counsel of
Ahithophel for the sake of Jehovah's bringing unto Absalom the evil.
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 the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of
Ahithophel; for so it was to Absalom and his party the best and wisest that
could be given them; but it was the Lord's will it should be defeated
and therefore
the minds of Absalom and of the elders of Israel were blinded:
to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom; his person
and cause; that his cause might be ruined
and he himself slain in battle; see Proverbs 19:21.
2 Samuel 17:15 15 Then Hushai said to Zadok
and Abiathar the priests
“Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the
elders of Israel
and thus and so I have advised.
YLT
15And Hushai saith unto Zadok
and unto Abiathar the priests
`Thus and thus hath Ahithophel counselled
Absalom and the elders of Israel
and thus and thus I have counselled;
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 thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of
Israel; relating to them in express words what he advised to:
and thus and thus have I counselled; telling them in what
manner he had given his counsel.
2 Samuel 17:16 16 Now therefore
send
quickly and tell David
saying
‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the
wilderness
but speedily cross over
lest the king and all the people who are
with him be swallowed up.’”
YLT
16and now
send hastily
and
declare to David
saying
Lodge not to-night in the plains of the wilderness
and also
certainly pass over
lest there be a swallowing up of the king and of
all the people who are with him.'
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 Israel might change
their minds
and Ahithophel might
by the strength of his oratory
prevail upon
them after all to follow his advice; and therefore
to guard against the worst
he judged it most prudential in David to make all the haste he could from that
place where he was
and not continue a night longer in it; for
if Ahithophel's
counsel should take place
he would be in pursuit of him that very night:
but speedily pass over; the river Jordan:
lest the king be swallowed up
and all the people that are
with him: be destroyed by the forces Ahithophel should bring with him
which he would not be able to withstand.
2 Samuel 17:17 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz
stayed at En Rogel
for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a
female servant would come and tell them
and they would go and tell King David.
YLT
17And Jonathan and Ahimaaz
are standing at En-Rogel
and the maid-servant hath gone and declared to them
-- and they go and have declared [it] to king David -- for they are not able to
be seen to go in to the city.
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 fuller's fountain
where they washed their clothes;
and
as Kimchi and Jarchi say
by treading them with their feet
whence it had
the name of Rogel
of which See Gill on Joshua 15:7
(for they might not be seen to come into the city); having been charged
by their parents to continue there for the sake of carrying intelligence to
David
or because suspected by Absalom's party of carrying on such an intrigue:
and a wench went and told them: what Hushai had
communicated to the priests
and what was his advice to David; this girl is
supposed by Kimchi and Abarbinel to be of the family of Zadok
by whom she was
sufficiently instructed to tell her message
and of whom there would be no
suspicion:
and they went and told King David; the sons of the priests
went and related to him all that had been transmitted to them.
2 Samuel 17:18 18 Nevertheless a lad saw
them
and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s
house in Bahurim
who had a well in his court; and they went down into it.
YLT
18And a youth seeth them
and
declareth to Absalom; and they go on both of them hastily
and come in unto the
house of a man in Bahurim
and he hath a well in his court
and they go down
there
Nevertheless
a lad saw them
and told Absalom
.... Saw them
conversing with the girl
and departing for David's army; according to JosephusF15Antiqu.
l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7.
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 quickly; made all the
haste they could with their message to David:
and came to a man's house in Bahurim; where very
probably they had been informed David had been
whither he came weary
and had
refreshment
2 Samuel 16:14; or
rather
perceiving they were discovered and pursued
they turned in hither
the
first place they came to
for safety:
which had a well in his court; which they observed
and
was the reason of their turning in:
whither they went down; to hide themselves from
their pursuers
it being dry
as sometimes wells were in the summertime:
Josephus saysF16Ibid.
a woman let them down by a rope.
2 Samuel 17:19 19 Then the woman took and
spread a covering over the well’s mouth
and spread ground grain on it; and the
thing was not known.
YLT
19and the woman taketh and
spreadeth the covering over the face of the well
and spreadeth on it the
ground corn
and the thing hath not been known.
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: just taken out of the
mill
before it was sifted
while in the bran; or corn unhusked
or just
threshed out
in order to be dried in the sun
and then parched; or wheat
bruised for that purpose: Josephus saysF17Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect.
7. they were locks of wool she spread:
and the thing was not known; that the young men were
in the well.
2 Samuel 17:20 20 And when Absalom’s
servants came to the woman at the house
they said
“Where are Ahimaaz
and Jonathan?” So the woman said to them
“They have gone over the water
brook.” And when they had searched and could not find them
they
returned to Jerusalem.
YLT
20And the servants of Absalom
come in unto the woman to the house
and say
`Where [are] Ahimaaz and
Jonathan?' and the woman saith to them
`They passed over the brook of water;'
and they seek
and have not found
and turn back to Jerusalem.
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 house
as they supposed:
and the woman said unto them
they be gone over the brook of water; the river
Jordan; so the Targum
"they have already passed over Jordan;'
this
was a lie she told them
which is not to be justified; the Vulgate Latin
version
"they passed over hastily
having drank a little water;'and so
JosephusF18Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7. Hudson. not. in ib. in some
copies:
and when they had sought and could not find them; not only
searched that house
but very probably others in Bahurim:
they returned to Jerusalem; to give an account what
success they had.
2 Samuel 17:21 21 Now it came to pass
after
they had departed
that they came up out of the well and went and told King
David
and said to David
“Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has
Ahithophel advised against you.”
YLT
21And it cometh to pass
after their going on
that they come up out of the well
and go and declare to
king David
and say unto David
`Rise ye
and pass over hastily the waters
for
thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.'
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; JosephusF19Antiqu.
l. 7. c. 9. sect. 7. Hudson. not. in ib. says they were drawn up by the woman
with a rope:
and went and told King David; who was now in the plain
of the wilderness
perhaps near Jericho
and not a great way from Jordan
to
whom they related the whole of their message:
and said unto David; as they were directed:
arise
and pass quickly over the water; the river
Jordan:
for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you; to come with
twelve thousand men
and fall upon him that very night; and it was not certain
his counsel would be rejected; and therefore it was advisable for David to
prepare against the worst.
2 Samuel 17:22 22 So David and all the
people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning
light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.
YLT
22And David riseth
and all
the people who [are] with him
and they pass over the Jordan
till the light of
the morning
till one hath not been lacking who hath not passed over the
Jordan.
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 the fords
and not one was lost in the
passage
nor any deserted
see John 17:12; and now
perhaps David penned the forty second and forty third psalms
Psalm 42:1.
2 Samuel 17:23 23 Now when Ahithophel saw
that his advice was not followed
he saddled a donkey
and arose and went home
to his house
to his city. Then he put his household in order
and hanged
himself
and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.
YLT
23And Ahithophel hath seen
that his counsel was not done
and he saddleth the ass
and riseth and goeth
unto his house
unto his city
and giveth charge unto his household
and
strangleth himself
and dieth
and he is buried in the burying-place of his
father.
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
disposed of his estates
see Isaiah 38:1; or
"commanded his house" or "household"F20יצו אל ביתו
"praecepit ad domum suam"
Montanus. ; gave orders and instructions
both relating to himself when dead
where and how he should be buried
and to
his family
how they should behave to one another and among their neighbours
and towards their superiors; and particularly
the Jews sayF21T.
Hieros. Sanhedrin
fol. 29. 1.
he gave them this charge
not to rebel against
the government of the house of David:
and hanged himself; so to his other sins added that of suicide
which was done deliberately
as the preceding clause shows; this he did
partly
because his proud spirit could not bear it that his counsel should be slighted
and that of another be preferred to it; and partly because he plainly foresaw
that the cause of Absalom would be ruined by neglecting his counsel and
following that of Hushai's
whereby he himself would fall into the hands of
David
and be put to death by him as a traitor; and he chose to die by his own
hand
and not his; and the rather
to prevent the confiscation of his goods and
estates as a traitor
and his heirs being deprived of them; though some think
he died of a disease
by strangling or suffocation in the throat
was choked
through grief and trouble; so R. Elias observesF23In Tishbi
p. 129.
& David de Pomis
Lexic. fol. 148. 2.
that some say that this disease
came upon him through the greatness of his grief of mind and trouble of soul
because his counsel was not taken
and he died of strangling; and they say
this
because they reckon it an absurdity for so wise and understanding a man
as he was to hang himself; but the case seems very clear that he did kill
himself; the Jews sayF24T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 106. 2. he was but
thirty three years of age when he died; for being a bloody and deceitful man
he did not live out half his days
Psalm 55:23; which
psalm was penned on his account; but one so young could hardly be a counsellor
of David
and so famous for his wise counsel; and besides
if so young
could
not be the grandfather of Bathsheba
as the Jews say:
and died
and was buried in the sepulchre of his father; though he
died an ignominious death
he had an honourable burial; it perhaps not being
usual in those times to put any mark of infamy on those that killed themselves
by refusing them interment in the common burying places of their friends and
neighbours.
2 Samuel 17:24 24 Then David went to
Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan
he and all the men of Israel
with him.
YLT
24And David came to Mahanaim
and Absalom passed over the Jordan
he and all the men of Israel with him;
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 the men of Israel with
him; not directly after David
but some time after
when
according
to the counsel of Hushai
he had gathered all the warlike men of Israel to him
that he could
and with this army pursued his father; not content to drive him
to the other side Jordan
sought to seize his person
and take away his life
and so secure the crown and kingdom to him
of which he made no doubt
having
such a numerous army
on which he relied.
2 Samuel 17:25 25 And Absalom made Amasa
captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man
whose name was Jithra
[a] an
Israelite
[b] who had
gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash
sister of Zeruiah
Joab’s mother.
YLT
25and Amasa hath Absalom set
instead of Joab over the host
and Amasa [is] a man's son whose name is Ithra
the Israelite who hath gone in unto Abigail
daughter of Nahash
sister of
Zeruiah
mother of Joab;
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 religion
was called an Israelite; or rather he was an Israelite by
birth
and having sojourned in the land of Ishmael some time
was called an
Ishmaelite
as Uriah the Hittite
and others; and when Amasa is called a
"man's son"
it means a great man
as Kimchi observes:
that went in to Abigail
the daughter of Nahash
sister to Zeruiah
Joab's mother: so that Joab and Amasa
the generals of
David and Absalom
were own cousins
sisters' children
and David uncle to them
both; for Abigail and Zeruiah were David's sisters
1 Chronicles 2:16;
children of Jesse
whose name is here called Nahash
having two names
or this
was his surname; though others think Nahash is the name of a woman
the wife of
Jesse
and that these two sisters had two mothers
but one father; it seems by
this expression
"went in to"
as if Amasa was not begotten in the
conjugal state
but was illegitimate.
2 Samuel 17:26 26 So Israel and Absalom
encamped in the land of Gilead.
YLT
26and Israel encampeth with
Absalom [in] the land of Gilead.
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.
2 Samuel 17:27 27 Now it happened
when
David had come to Mahanaim
that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the
people of Ammon
Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar
and Barzillai the
Gileadite from Rogelim
YLT
27And it cometh to pass at
the coming in of David to Mahanaim
that Shobi
son of Nahash
from Rabbah of
the Bene-Ammon
and Machir son of Ammiel
from Lo-Debar
and Barzillai the
Gileadite
from Rogelim
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
whom David overcame and deposed
and set up this brother in his room; who had showed his dislike of his
brother's conduct
and now makes a grateful return to David for his favours;
though some say this was Hanun himself
as Jarchi
now become a proselyte
which is not so likely; others take this man to be an Israelite that continued
in Rabbah
the metropolis of the Ammonites
after it was taken by David:
and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar; the same that
brought up Mephibosheth
from whom David received him and took him off of his
hands
for which now he requited him
see 2 Samuel 9:5
and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim; a place that
lay under the hills of GileadF25Fuller's Pisgah-View
B. 2. c. 3.
sect. 10. p. 94. ; it had its name from the "fullers" who dwelt here
for the convenience of fountains of water to wash their clothes in.
2 Samuel 17:28 28 brought beds and basins
earthen vessels and wheat
barley and flour
parched grain and beans
lentils and parched seeds
YLT
28couch
and basin
and
earthen vessel
and wheat
and barley
and flour
and roasted [corn]
and
beans
and lentiles
and roasted [pulse]
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 ancients usedF26Vid. Aristophan. in Pluto
p. 55.
see
Proverbs 7:16; and
so ten basins in the next clause:
and basins
and earthen vessels; to put their food and
liquors in
and eat and drink out of
and for other services:
and wheat
and barley
and flour
and parched corn; or
"kali"
which was made of the above corn ground into meal
and mixed
with water or milk
and eaten with honey or oil
as there was another sort made
of pulse
later mentioned:
and beans
and lentiles
and parched pulse; or
"kali"
made of these in the above manner. Some thinkF1Sterringa
Animadv. Philol. Sacr. p. 48. coffee is meant
but without reason.
2 Samuel 17:29 29 honey and curds
sheep and
cheese of the herd
for David and the people who were with him to eat.
For they said
“The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”
YLT
29and honey
and butter
and
sheep
and cheese of kine
have brought nigh for David
and for the people who
[are] with him to eat
for they said
`Thy people [is] hungry
and weary
and
thirsty
in the wilderness.'
And honey and butter
.... Honey was much in
use with the ancients; HomerF2Iliad. 11. ver. 630. Odyss. 10. ver.
245. & Odyss. 20. ver. 72. Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 3. c. 11.
Sueton. Vita Nero. c. 27. 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 honeyF3Justin e Trogo
l. 2. c. 2. ; and
this and butter were pretty much the food of the people in Judea; see Isaiah 7:15
and sheep; with which and goats the land of Gilead abounded; see Song of Solomon 4:1
and cheese of kine: made of the milk of cows
as it commonly
is:
for David
and for the people that were with him
to eat; and no doubt
they brought wine with them for them to drink; the men that brought these
some
brought one sort
and some another
or however different parcels of the same
and did not join in one present; for they came from different parts:
for they said
the people is hungry
and weary
and
thirsty
in the wilderness; where they had been some time
and out of
which they had just come
and so weary with travelling
and therefore brought
beds to lie down and rest upon; and being hungry and thirsty
through want of
bread and water in the wilderness
they brought them both eatables and
drinkables; for though the latter is not expressed
it is to be understood
as
the word "thirsty" supposes.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)