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2 Samuel
Chapter Nineteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 19
David
indulging to too much grief for the death of his son, is rebuked by Joab, and
threatened with a revolt of the people from him, if he did not change his
conduct, which be accordingly did, 2 Samuel 19:1; upon
which the men of Israel were the first that moved for the bringing him back to
Jerusalem, and the men of Judah were solicited to join with them in it, which
was effected, 2 Samuel 19:9; and
at Jordan, Shimei, that had cursed him, met him, and asked his pardon, and was
forgiven, 2 Samuel 19:16; and
when come to Jerusalem, Mephibosheth excused so well his not going out with
him, that he had half his land restored to him, which had been given to his
servant, 2 Samuel 19:24; and
Barzillai, who had very liberally supplied the king, was allowed to return to
his own city, and Chimham his son was taken to court, 2 Samuel 19:31; and
a contention arose between the men of Israel and of Judah about the restoration
of the king, which issued in an insurrection, as the next chapter shows, 2 Samuel 19:41.
2 Samuel 19:1 And
Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
YLT
1And it is declared to Joab,
`Lo, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom;'
And it was told Joab,.... When returned to
Mahanaim, or on his way to it; perhaps by the messengers he sent; and this
report he had before he saw the king:
behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom; for the death
of him, instead of rejoicing at the victory obtained, and the deliverance from
his enemies.
2 Samuel 19:2 2 So the victory that day
was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it
said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.”
YLT
2and the salvation on that
day becometh mourning to all the people, for the people hath heard on that day,
saying, `The king hath been grieved for his son.'
And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all
the people,.... They also mourned too, instead of expressing joy upon the
occasion:
for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his
son; this report was spread among them, which damped their joy, and
hindered them from giving any tokens of it, as were usual at such times.
2 Samuel 19:3 3 And the people stole back
into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in
battle.
YLT
3And the people stealeth
away, on that day, to go in to the city, as the people steal away, who are
ashamed, in their fleeing in battle;
And the people got them by stealth that day into the city,.... Did not
march into it in companies, in a public and triumphant manner, as conquerors
used to do; but entered in a private manner, one by one, or a very few
together, not caring to be seen or known, at least by the king, as fearing they
had incurred his displeasure: but
as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle; as if they
had been conquered, and not conquerors; nay, had acted a cowardly part, and ran
away; and so cared not to be seen, lest they should be reproached, or suffer
for their cowardice.
2 Samuel 19:4 4 But the king covered his
face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom,
my son, my son!”
YLT
4and the king hath covered
his face, yea, the king crieth -- a loud voice -- `My son Absalom, Absalom, my
son, my son.'
But the king covered his face,.... And would not see
his generals, and thank them for their services: but wrapped himself in his
mantle, after the manner of mourners:
and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom! O Absalom,
my son, my son! and this was some time, perhaps some days after he had received
the news of his death, since Joab and the army were returned from the battle;
had it been a sudden start of passion, upon first hearing thee news, and had
continued a few hours, it would have been more excusable; but to continue some
days, as it is very probable it did, was very unbecoming.
2 Samuel 19:5 5 Then Joab came into the
house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who
today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of
your wives and the lives of your concubines,
YLT
5And Joab cometh in unto the
king to the house, and saith, `Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all
thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and
of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines,
And Joab came into the house to the king,.... For by
this time he was removed from the chamber over the gate to his own dwelling
house or palace, where he continued the same doleful ditty as at first:
and said, thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants; they cannot
lift up their heads, and look any in the face, nor one another; but behave as
if they had committed some very great fault, in fighting with the rebels, and
beating them:
which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and
of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; which in all
probability would have been taken away if the victory had been on the side of
Absalom.
2 Samuel 19:6 6 in that you love your
enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard
neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived
and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well.
YLT
6to love thine enemies, and
to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no
princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom [were] alive, and
all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes.
In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends,.... Which
though not strictly true, there was some appearance of it, which is here
greatly exaggerated; in that he expressed so much grief and sorrow for Absalom
his enemy, who had rebelled against him, and showed so little regard to his
friends, that had exposed their lives for him:
for thou hast declared this day: by his conduct and
behaviour, mourning for his rebellious son, and taking no notice of his
faithful servants:
that thou regardest neither princes nor servants; neither the
officers of the army, the generals and captains, nor the common soldiers: since
neither the one were admitted into his presence privately, nor had the other
public thanks as they entered the city, as might have been expected: or
"that thou hast no princes and servants"F7אין לך שרים
ועבדים "non tibi principes et servi",
Pagninus, Montanus; "nihil tibi sint principes et servi", Piscator. ;
none that are accounted of as such; they are nothing with thee, in no esteem at
all, as if thou hadst none:
for this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had
died this day, then it had pleased thee well; this was carrying the
matter too far; for though it would have been agreeable to David if Absalom had
lived, and not been slain, yet not that his army should perish, or his people
be destroyed; it would have pleased him well if both had lived.
2 Samuel 19:7 7 Now therefore, arise, go
out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not
go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you
than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”
YLT
7`And now, rise, go out and
speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that -- thou
art not going out -- there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this
[is] worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth
till now.'
Now therefore arise, go forth,.... Arise from his
couch, he was watering with his tears, and go forth from his house, where he
had shut himself up retired from all company, to the gate of the city, where
the people passed and repassed, and there was a concourse of them: this he said
not by way of command, but by way of advice; though all along he seems to take
too much upon him, and to speak unbecoming a subject, and not with that decency
as was necessary in, speaking to a king; but it may be observed, that a general
of an army had great power over princes in those times; and presumed very much
on their interest in the army, which led them sometimes not to behave with that
decorum as became them:
and speak comfortably unto thy servants; commend them
for their courage and faithfulness, thank them for their services, and reward
them suitably; at least give them assurance of it:
for I swear by the Lord; by the Word of the Lord,
as the Targum; this he said to arouse him, and make him bestir himself, and
think what was proper for him to do:
if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this
night; signifying that he would use his interest in the army to go off
with it, and set up another king; and did not doubt of success, as well knowing
what temper and humour the people were in through the king's conduct:
and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell
thee from thy youth until now; for when he was persecuted by Saul he had a
number of friends that adhered close to him; and when Ishbosheth was set up
against him by Abner as king of Israel, the tribe of Judah cleaved to him,
anointed him their king, and abode by him; wherefore, should he now be
abandoned by his army, his case would be worse than ever it had been.
2 Samuel 19:8 8 Then the king arose and
sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king,
sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king. For everyone of
Israel had fled to his tent.
YLT
8And the king riseth, and
sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, `Lo, the
king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and
Israel hath fled, each to his tents.
Than the king arose, and sat in the gate,.... Of the
city, a public place, where the inhabitants met on divers accounts at times,
and where there were always people passing and repassing:
and they told unto all the people; or it was reported to
the soldiers particularly:
saying, behold the king doth sit in the gate; has laid
aside his mourning, appears in public, and receives his friends, and attends to
business:
and all the people came before the king; to
congratulate him on the victory obtained, to receive his thanks and his
favours:
for Israel had fled every man to his tent: or to his
city, as the Targum; that is, those that followed Absalom; which is observed
not on account of what goes before, but of what follows after; see 2 Samuel 18:17.
2 Samuel 19:9 9 Now all the people were in
a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from
the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and
now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.
YLT
9And it cometh to pass, all
the people are contending through all the tribes of Israel, saying, `The king
delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, yea, he himself delivered us out
of the hand of the Philistines, and now he hath fled out of the land because of
Absalom,
And all the people were at strife through all the tribes of Israel,.... Excepting
the tribe of Judah; they blamed and reproved one another for taking part with
Absalom in the rebellion, and especially for their coldness and backwardness in
bringing back David to Jerusalem:
saying, the king saved us out of the hand of our enemies; exposed his
life to danger, fought our battles for us, and gained us victory over our
enemies, and saved us from them, especially those next mentioned:
and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; in the times
of Saul, and since; which were benefits which ought to have endeared him to
them, and were aggravations of the crime of those who had been concerned in the
late rebellion; and were such as ought not to be buried in oblivion, and were
proper arguments to engage them to return to their allegiance to him, and abide
by it:
and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom; being obliged
to quit Jerusalem, and the land of Judea on this side Jordan, and to pass that
river; not from a spirit of cowardice, but from tenderness to his son, he did
not choose to fight against; and from a concern for his metropolis Jerusalem,
lest that should be hurt, as well as for the safety of his person.
2 Samuel 19:10 10 But Absalom, whom we
anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing
about bringing back the king?”
YLT
10and Absalom whom we
anointed over us [is] dead in battle, and now, why are ye silent -- to bring
back the king?'
And Absalom, whom we anointed over us,.... To be
king; which either was really done by Absalom's party, or in effect by
proclaiming and appointing him king:
is dead in battle; which shows the thing was not of God, and
by which means they were released from their oath of allegiance to him:
now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? nobody speaks
of it, gives the least hint of it, or shows any concern about it; but the
greatest coldness and indifference, as if it was a matter of no importance.
2 Samuel 19:11 11 So King David sent to
Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying,
‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of
all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?
YLT
11And king David sent unto
Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, `Speak ye unto the elders of
Judah, saying, Why are ye last to bring back the king unto his house? (and the
word of all Israel hath come unto the king, unto his house;)
And King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests,.... Who were
at Jerusalem, and in his interest; perhaps by Ahimaaz and Jonathan their sons:
saying, speak unto the elders of Judah; particularly
those that were at Jerusalem, with whom they had an interest:
saying, why are ye the last to bring back the king to his house? to his palace
at Jerusalem, since David was of their tribe, and was first anointed their
king: what might make them the more backward to it was their being so deep in
the rebellion, which was formed and cherished among them, and brought to the
height it was, through their connivance and encouragement, both at Hebron and
Jerusalem; and therefore they might fear the resentment of David, and that he
would not be easily reconciled unto them:
seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even
to his house: or he has received invitations from all the tribes of Israel to
return to his house or palace at Jerusalem; and so this was a part of the
message of David to the priests, to be told to the elders as an aggravation of
their backwardness, and as an argument to excite them to their duty; though
some think these are the words of the historian, to be inserted in a
parenthesis, as in our version.
2 Samuel 19:12 12 You are my
brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to
bring back the king?’
YLT
12my brethren ye [are], my
bone and my flesh ye [are], and why are ye last to bring back the king?
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh,.... Being of
the same tribe, and therefore he should deal gently with them, as if they were
parts of his body; and not be severe upon them, for the hand they had in the
conspiracy, as they might fear:
and wherefore then are ye the last to bring the king back? since they
were so nearly related to him, and he so ready to forgive them.
2 Samuel 19:13 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are
you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not
commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’”
YLT
13And to Amasa say ye, Art
not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if
thou art not head of the host before me all the days instead of Joab.'
And say ye to Amasa,.... Who was the general
of Absalom's army, and who might fear he should never be pardoned, whoever was,
and looked upon his case as desperate; who had led on the army with Absalom
against the king's threes, and fought them:
art thou not of my bone, and
of my flesh? nearly related to him, being his sister's son:
God do so to me, and more also: than he had done to
Absalom; or he imprecates the greatest evil upon himself that could be thought
of or named:
if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the
room of Joab; signifying that he would not only pardon the treason he had been
guilty of, but raise him to the highest post in the army; and to assure him of
it, of which he might be doubtful, considering what he had done to merit his
displeasure, he makes this oath or imprecation. Joab had got his ill will by
many instances, as by the murder of Abner, and now by slaying Absalom against
his orders; and by his rude and insolent behaviour to him when lamenting the
death of his son; he wanted to be rid of him, and now, having an opportunity of
putting a valiant man into his place, and thereby attaching him to his
interest, he was determined to make use of it.
2 Samuel 19:14 14 So he swayed the hearts of
all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this
word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”
YLT
14And he inclineth the heart
of all the men of Judah as one man, and they send unto the king, `Turn back,
thou, and all thy servants.'
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the
heart of one man,.... This the Jewish commentators generally understand of Amasa
that he used his interest with the men of Judah, and so wrought upon them, that
they agreed as one man to send for the king, and bring him back; but it seems
best to understand it of David, who by these gentle methods, kind messages, and
affectionate speeches, powerfully inclined and engaged the hearts of the people
towards him; so that they were unanimously and affectionately agreed to restore
him: in this way David chose to return; he could have come without their leave,
or any invitation from them, as he was their lawful king, and a victorious one,
the rebellion being crushed; and had it in his power to chastise those
concerned in it, and use them with severity; but he chose rather to gain the
hearts of his people, and to come in a way peaceable to them, and honourable to
himself:
so that they sent this word unto the king, return thou and
all thy servants; perhaps by the same messengers that David sent; or it may be,
rather for honour's sake they deputed some of their principal men to wait on
David, and invite him to return to them with all his retinue and army,
promising allegiance and fidelity to him.
2 Samuel 19:15 15 Then the king returned and
came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort
the king across the Jordan.
YLT
15And the king turneth back,
and cometh in unto the Jordan, and Judah hath come to Gilgal, to go to meet the
king, to bring the king over the Jordan,
So the king returned, and came to Jordan,.... From
Mahanaim thither, which according to BuntingF9Travels, &c. p.
142. was twenty eight miles:
and Judah came to Gilgal; that is, the elders, or
principal men of the tribe of Judah, came thither; which place, according to
the same writerF11Travels, &c. p. 142, 143. , was twelve miles
from Jerusalem, and four from Jordan; and was the first place the Israelites
came to when they passed that river in Joshua's time; but it seems to be rather
more; See Gill on Joshua 2:1 and See
Gill on Joshua 4:19,
to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan; but then they
must proceed further on, for Gilgal seems to be live or six miles on this side
Jordan.
2 Samuel 19:16 16 And Shimei the son of
Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the
men of Judah to meet King David.
YLT
16and Shimei son of Gera, the
Benjamite, who [is] from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of
Judah, to meet king David,
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of
Bahurim,.... Of whom see 2 Samuel 16:5,
hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David: he took the
first opportunity to meet the king, and ask his pardon for his ill treatment of
him when he fled from Jerusalem; for, hearing: that Absalom was slain, and the
victory was on the side of David, who was returning in triumph, he thought it
advisable as soon as possible to make his submission, and entreat forgiveness,
lest he should fall a just sacrifice to his vengeance; and a better opportunity
he could not well have than to go along with the men of Judah, who met the king
first of all.
2 Samuel 19:17 17 There were
a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul,
and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the
Jordan before the king.
YLT
17and a thousand men [are]
with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen
sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the
Jordan before the king.
And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him,.... Of which
tribe he was, and these were either a band of soldiers, of which he was the
chiliarch; or tenants of his, which showed him to be a great man; or his
neighbours, and persons of some figure, whom he prevailed upon to come as
intercessors for him:
and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul; who had imposed
upon David, and got his master's inheritance from him, knowing that David would
be undeceived by Mephibosheth his master, when he came to Jerusalem; and
therefore that he might be more tenderly dealt with, and come off the better,
he was thus forward to meet the king, and pay his respects to him:
and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him: which made a
considerable appearance; see 2 Samuel 9:10,
and they went over Jordan before the king: to meet him
on the other side, both Shimei and his a thousand men, and Ziba with his sons
and servants.
2 Samuel 19:18 18 Then a ferryboat went
across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Now
Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the
Jordan.
YLT
18And passed over hath the
ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which [is]
good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his
passing over into Jordan,
And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's
household,.... His wives and children, who could not so well ford the river
on foot: some will have this to be a bridge of boats, a pontoon; and Abarbinel
thinks it might be a company of men, who carried the women and children on
their shoulders, one after another:
and to do what he thought good; to carry over whatever
else the king pleased, besides his family:
and Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was
come over Jordan; or just as he was about to come over, when he came to Jordan to
take the boat in order to come over; for he went over Jordan to meet him, and
therefore would take the first opportunity of coming into his presence, and
fall down before him, and make his submission to him.
2 Samuel 19:19 19 Then he said to the king,
“Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant
did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it
to heart.
YLT
19and saith unto the king,
`Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy
servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from
Jerusalem, -- for the king to set [it] unto his heart;
And said unto the king, let not my lord the king impute iniquity
unto me,.... That is, deal with him according to the desert of it, punish
him for it, but forgive it: for non-imputation of sin is in effect the pardon
of it:
neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the
day my lord the king went out of Jerusalem: he desires that he would
not only forgive, but forget it; he owns it was a perverse action, and
aggravated by being done at the time when the king was in great trouble and
distress:
that the king should take it to his heart; and determine
to avenge himself on him for it.
2 Samuel 19:20 20 For I, your servant, know
that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the
house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
YLT
20for thy servant hath known
that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first of all the house of
Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.'
For thy servant doth know that I have sinned,.... He was
sensible of it, and sorry for it, and publicly acknowledged it before all the
men he brought with him, and before all the servants of David; and as a token
of the sincerity of his repentance, and as an earnest of his future fidelity,
he made this early submission:
therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house
of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king; but why does he make
mention of the house of Joseph, when he was of the tribe of Benjamin? Kimchi
says that Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, were called the house of Joseph; and
it may be observed that it is sometimes used for all Israel, as in Psalm 80:1; and he
was the first of them that came, inasmuch as he came along with the men of
Judah, who came first of all to fetch the king back; or Joseph may stand for
the tribes of Israel, as distinct from Judah, and he was the first of them;
some of the Jewish writers think he makes mention of the name of Joseph,
because as the brethren of Joseph used him ill, and he returned good to them;
so though he had used David ill, he hoped he would do as Joseph did, return
good for evil; and others represent him as suggesting hereby to David, that all
Israel had used him ill, and he worse than them all; and now he was come first,
and they were all waiting what he would do to him, that if he received him
kindly, all would come and make their peace with him.
2 Samuel 19:21 21 But Abishai the son of
Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because
he cursed the Lord’s
anointed?”
YLT
21And Abishai son of Zeruiah
answereth and saith, `For this is not Shimei put to death -- because he reviled
the anointed of Jehovah?'
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said,.... The same
person that would have taken off the head of Shimei at the time he cursed
David, if he would have given him leave, 2 Samuel 16:9,
shall not Shimei be put to death for this? this
humiliation and acknowledgment he has made, shall he be forgiven on that
account? shall so small a matter as this atone for so great a crime he has been
guilty of, as that he shall not die?
because or "though"F12כי,
"quamvis, vel cum tamen", Piscator. .
he cursed the Lord's anointed; is asking pardon
sufficient to expiate so foul an offence, for which according to the law he
ought to die? or for this action which he has done, as the Arabic version, in
cursing the Lord's anointed.
2 Samuel 19:22 22 And David said, “What have
I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me
today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that
today I am king over Israel?”
YLT 22And David saith, `What --
to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary?
to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I
[am] king over Israel?'
And David said, what have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?.... See Gill
on 2 Samuel 16:10,
that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? or a Satan
unto me, as the word is, by advising him to do what would be prejudicial to his
interest; see Matthew 16:22; as
to use severity at such a time as this would have been; for had he immediately
ordered Shimei to be put to death, though he deserved it, who was the first man
that came to ask pardon, the Israelites in general, or all however concerned in
the rebellion, would have concluded they must share the same fate, and so would
not have submitted, but have raised a new rebellion against him; and some think
Joab and Abishai had this in view, that they might keep their posts in the
army:
shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? there shall
not: the glory of this day shall not be sullied by the death of any; nor the
joy of it be turned into sorrow in any family in Israel, as would, if any was
put to death for what had passed during the rebellion:
for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? and can and
will do as I please; as he had been driven from his throne and palace, and was
now invited back again, and upon his return, it was as if he was made king
anew, and afresh inaugurated into his office; and therefore no blood should be
split on that day on which he was restored to his kingdom.
2 Samuel 19:23 23 Therefore the king said to
Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.
YLT
23And the king saith unto
Shimei, `Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.
Therefore the king said unto Shimei, thou shalt not die,.... This day
by my hands, or order, or by the sword, 1 Kings 2:8,
and the king sware unto him; that he should not die
for that offence, or for that only; but if he committed a new one, this oath
was no longer binding on him, and not at all upon his heir and successor.
2 Samuel 19:24 24 Now Mephibosheth the son
of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor
trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed
until the day he returned in peace.
YLT
24And Mephibosheth son of
Saul hath come down to meet the king -- and he prepared not his feet, nor did
he prepare his upper lip, yea, his garments he washed not, even from the day of
the going away of the king, till the day that he came in peace –
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king,.... Not down
to Jordan, but Jerusalem; when the king was come thither, he came from his own
dwelling to the king's palace; he is called the son of Saul, though he was his
grandson, and grandsons are sometimes called sons; though in the Septuagint it
is, the son's son of Saul; and the Syriac and Arabic versions are, the son of
Jonathan, the son of Saul:
and had neither dressed his feet; had not cut his nails,
as the Septuagint adds, his toenails; or rather had not washed his feet, as the
Targum paraphrases it; which was frequently done in those countries, partly for
refreshment, and partly to remove the filth of them contracted by walking
barefooted, or only with sandals; as also because of the ill smell of them,
which was offensive:
nor trimmed his beard; or shaved his upper lip,
and took no care that the hair of his chin should be in any order; otherwise
that was never shaved, to do it would be contrary to the law in Leviticus 19:27,
nor washed his clothes; his linen clothes, his
shirts, or any other that used to be washed; or "whitened" them, as
the Targum, he had not sent them, his woollen clothes, to the fuller, to get
out the spots, and whiten them. All these were tokens of mourning, and showed
him to be a sincere mourner for the king's departure, and the trouble he was
in, since it was so long continued:
from the day the king departed, until the day he came again
in peace; which must be a considerable time, and therefore he must be in a
most sordid and rueful condition.
2 Samuel 19:25 25 So it was, when he had
come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not
go with me, Mephibosheth?”
YLT
25and it cometh to pass, when
he hath come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king saith to him, `Why
didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?'
And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king,.... Perhaps
from the place where his estate was; or, as the Arabic version, when he came
from Jerusalem, from whence he went a little way to meet the king, as he was
coming thither; for it was said he abode at Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 16:3,
that the king said unto him, wherefore wentest not thou with me,
Mephibosheth? when he departed from Jerusalem, being
obliged to flee from thence because of Absalom; it is very probable David would
never have asked him this question, knowing his lameness, had it not been for
the suggestion of Ziba his servant, that he stayed at Jerusalem, hoping that
the kingdom of his father would be restored to him, 2 Samuel 16:3.
2 Samuel 19:26 26 And he answered, “My lord,
O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey
for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is
lame.
YLT
26And he saith, `My lord, O
king, my servant deceived me, for thy servant said, I saddle for me the ass,
and ride on it, and go with the king, for thy servant [is] lame;
And he answered, my lord, O king, my servant deceived me,.... His
servant Ziba, who, instead of saddling an ass for him by his order, went off
with that and another himself, 2 Samuel 16:1; for
thy servant
said, I will saddle me an ass; he not only determined
this in his own mind, but gave orders to his servant to saddle one for him:
that I may ride thereon, and go to the king, because thy servant is
lame; and could not walk afoot, being lame of both his feet, 2 Samuel 4:4.
2 Samuel 19:27 27 And he has slandered your
servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of
God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.
YLT
27and he uttereth slander
against thy servant unto my lord the king, and my lord the king [is] as a
messenger of God; and do thou that which is good in thine eyes,
And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king,.... By
suggesting that he stayed at Jerusalem with a view to the kingdom, hoping that
the quarrel between David and Absalom would issue in the restoration of it to
his father's family; which was a mere calumny, he having had no such thought,
nor was there any foundation for it:
but my lord the king is an angel of God; for
understanding and wisdom, to discern the falsehood of such suggestions:
do therefore what is good in thine eyes; condemn him
or acquit him; reject him or receive him into favour; he entirely submitted
himself to him, to do with him as seemed good in his sight.
2 Samuel 19:28 28 For all my father’s house
were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those
who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore
to the king?”
YLT
28for all the house of my
father have been nothing except men of death before my lord the king, and thou
dost set thy servant among those eating at thy table, and what right have I any
more -- even to cry any more unto the king?'
For all of my, father's house were but dead men before my
lord the king,.... Or "men of death"F13אנשי
מות "viris mortis", Montanus. ; worthy of
death, not on account of Saul's persecution, for which his family did not
deserve to suffer; rather for the attempt of Ishbosheth to get the kingdom from
him, which might be deemed treason, and so the family was tainted for it;
though the sense may be only this, that their lives lay at his mercy, and that
if he had dealt with rigour and severity towards them, as was usual for princes
to do towards the family of their predecessors, who had any claim to the kingdom,
put them to death, this would have been their case:
yet didst thou set thy servant among them that eat at thine own
table; which was showing him great kindness, and doing him great
honour:
what right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? to ask any
favour of him, or make any complaint to him.
2 Samuel 19:29 29 So the king said to him,
“Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide
the land.’”
YLT
29And the king saith to him,
`Why dost thou speak any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba --
share ye the field.'
And the king said unto him, why speakest thou any more of thy
matters?.... Of his father's family, and the injuries done by them to
David, and of the benefits and favours which he had received from David, or of
his temporal affairs, of his estate, which David had given away to Ziba:
I have said, thou and Ziba divide the land; revoking his
last grant to Ziba, which gave him all that belonged to Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 16:4; he
established his first decree, that Ziba should have half the profit of the land
for tilling it, and the other half be given to Mephibosheth; he did not choose
to punish Ziba for slandering his master, being inclined to clemency and mercy,
and determined to show no severity at that time; and might be in some fear of
Ziba, being a considerable man, lest he should raise a new insurrection, if he
bore hard upon him; besides, he might have a large share in his affection,
having made a present to him in the time of his distress, and was one of the
first that came to meet him upon his return, 2 Samuel 19:17.
2 Samuel 19:30 30 Then Mephibosheth said to
the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come
back in peace to his own house.”
YLT
30And Mephibosheth saith unto
the king, `Yea, the whole let him take, after that my lord the king hath come
in peace unto his house.'
And Mephibosheth said unto the king, yea, let him take all,.... The whole
estate, as David had given it to him; he was content that that last grant
should stand:
forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own
house; his palace in Jerusalem; which was a strong expression of
affection for him, and loyalty to him. (Solomn used a similar test to determine
which woman's baby was alive. 1 Kings 3:16. He
purposed the baby be cut in two to reveal who the real mother was. Likewise,
David suggests the property should be divided between Ziba and Miphibosheth to
determine the true loyalty of the later. 2 Samuel 19:29
Editor.)
2 Samuel 19:31 31 And Barzillai the
Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to
escort him across the Jordan.
YLT
31And Barzillai the Gileadite
hath gone down from Rogelim, and passeth over the Jordan with the king, to send
him away over the Jordan;
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim,.... The place
of his habitation, to Jordan, see 2 Samuel 17:27,
and went over Jordan with the king to conduct him over Jordan; to accompany
him over the river, and then take his leave of him.
2 Samuel 19:32 32 Now Barzillai was a very
aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he
stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.
YLT
32and Barzillai [is] very
aged, a son of eighty years, and he hath sustained the king in his abiding in
Mahanaim, for he [is] a very great man;
Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old,.... Which was
ten years beyond the common term of man's life, and reckoned a very great age
in David's time, and has been ever since, and still is, see Psalm 90:10,
and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at
Mahanaim: had supported him and his family, furnished him with provisions,
and all the necessaries of life, during his stay there:
for he was a very great man; in wealth and riches,
and was a very liberal man, and a man of great wisdom and good sense; and very
probably was a man of great grace, which taught him his duty to his prince, and
influenced him to show mercy to him in distress.
2 Samuel 19:33 33 And the king said to
Barzillai, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with
me in Jerusalem.”
YLT
33and the king saith unto
Barzillai, `Pass thou over with me, and I have sustained thee with me in
Jerusalem.'
And the king said to Barzillai, come thou over with me,.... Over
Jordan; Barzillai came with an intent to accompany the king over Jordan; but
the king meant not only to go over Jordan, but when over to go further with
him, even to Jerusalem:
and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem; meaning, that
he should dwell with him in his palace, and eat at his table, in return for
feeding him at Mahanaim.
2 Samuel 19:34 34 But Barzillai said to the
king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
YLT
34And Barzillai saith unto
the king, `How many [are] the days of the years of my life, that I go up with
the king to Jerusalem?
And Barzillai said unto the king,.... In answer to the
grateful proposal he made:
how long have I to live; that could not be said
with exactness by any; but it might be probably conjectured from the age he was
of, and the infirmities that attended him, that he could not live long; it was
but a short time he had to be in the world:
that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? take so long
a journey as that, seeing he might die before he got thither; and if he did
not, since it could not be thought he should live long, he could not think of
it, or judge it advisable at such an age to take such a journey, change his
place of abode, and manner of living.
2 Samuel 19:35 35 I am today eighty
years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what
I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and
singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the
king?
YLT
35A son of eighty years I
[am] to-day; do I know between good and evil? doth thy servant taste that which
I am eating, and that which I drink? do I hearken any more to the voice of
singers and songstresses? and why is thy servant any more for a burden unto my
lord the king?
I am this day fourscore years old,.... Not that
that day was precisely his birthday, but that he was about such an age, very
little under or over; very probably he was full that age:
and can I discern between
good and evil? signifying, either that his intellectual powers were impaired,
and could not distinguish what was right and wrong, and so could be of no
service to David in his privy council, or any court of judicature, he was fit
for no post or office under him; or that his natural senses were not quick to
distinguish between good and bad, particularly between good and bad food, which
he could neither discern by smell nor taste, as follows:
can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? have any gust
or relish of, or take any delight or pleasure in eating and drinking; so that
the most delicious food, and richest wines, and all the dainties of a king's
table, would signify nothing to him:
can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? either being
so deaf that he could not hear them at all, or however not with any delight;
the evil days being come upon him, in which he could take no pleasure in the
diversions of a court:
wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the
king? he could neither take any pleasure himself, nor be of any
service to the king, but on the contrary a burden to him; not only on account
of his sustenance, and being obliged to have servants to attend him, which
might be the least part of his burden, but his company would be disagreeable
and troublesome, through the infirmities of old age upon him.
2 Samuel 19:36 36 Your servant will go a
little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with
such a reward?
YLT
36As a little thing, thy
servant doth pass over the Jordan with the king, and why doth the king
recompense me this recompense?
Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king,.... That is,
go a little way after he was over Jordan with him, and then return to his own
city:
and why should the king recompense it with such a reward? the sense is,
why should the king recompense so trifling a thing as I have done, and which
was but my duty, with such a reward, as to maintain me in so grand a manner at
his court?
2 Samuel 19:37 37 Please let your servant
turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and
mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the
king, and do for him what seems good to you.”
YLT
37Let, I pray thee, thy
servant turn back again, and I die in mine own city, near the burying-place of
my father and of my mother, -- and lo, thy servant Chimham, let him pass over
with my lord the king, and do thou to him that which [is] good in thine eyes.'
Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again,.... To his
own city, after he is gone ever Jordan, and seen the king a little way on his
journey:
that I may die in my own city: the city of Rogelim,
where perhaps he was born, and had lived all his days, and where it is natural
for people to desire to die, even in their native place:
and be buried by the grave
of my father, and of my mother: or "in" their grave, as Kimchi
and Ben Melech, in the sepulchre of his fathers, where men usually choose to be
buried:
but behold, thy servant Chimham: who was his son; and so
the Syriac and Arabic versions express it, my son Chimham:
let him go over with my lord the king; not only over
Jordan, but to Jerusalem with him:
and do to him what shall seem good unto thee; advance him,
and put him into any post or office the king should think fit, or bestow a
pension upon him, or give him an estate to live upon, or whatever he pleased.
2 Samuel 19:38 38 And the king answered,
“Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to
you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.”
YLT
38And the king saith, `With
me doth Chimham go over, and I do to him that which [is] good in thine eyes,
yea, all that thou dost fix on me I do to thee.'
And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me,.... He
admitted of him instead of his father:
and I will do unto him that which shall seem good unto thee; he puts it to
Barzillai, and leaves it with him to ask what he would for his son, and he
would grant it. We nowhere read what it was that Barzillai asked, or whether he
asked anything; only this we read, that some hundreds of years afterward there
was a place called the habitation of Chimham near Bethlehem, Jeremiah 41:17;
which makes it probable that David gave him a paternal estate of his there,
since Bethlehem was his city; and the Targum on that place is expressly for it;
See Gill on Jeremiah 41:17,
and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for
thee; whatever suit he should make to him, or whatever favour he
should ask of him hereafter, when returned to his own city, he would grant it
to him, if it could be possibly done; such a sense should he always retain of
his kindness to him.
2 Samuel 19:39 39 Then all the people went
over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai
and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.
YLT
39And all the people pass
over the Jordan, and the king hath passed over, and the king giveth a kiss to
Barzillai, and blesseth him, and he turneth back to his place.
And all the people went over Jordan,.... That were with
David:
and when the king was come over; over Jordan, had got to
the other side of it, whither Barzillai accompanied him:
the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; took his
leave of him with a kiss, as friends were wont to do at parting, thanked him
for all his favours, wished him well, and prayed to God to bless him with all
blessings temporal and spiritual:
and he returned to his own place: his own city Rogelim,
having crossed over again the river Jordan.
2 Samuel 19:40 40 Now the king went on to
Gilgal, and Chimham[a] went on
with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the
people of Israel.
YLT
40And the king passeth over
to Gilgal, and Chimham hath passed over with him, and all the people of Judah,
and they bring over the king, and also the half of the people of Israel.
Then the king went on to
Gilgal,.... Which, according to JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 5. c.
1. sect. 4. , was fifty furlongs from Jordan, six miles and a quarter:
and Chimham went on with him; after Barzillai had left
them, and accompanied the king to Jerusalem:
and all the people of Judah conducted the king; to Jerusalem;
who came to meet him, 2 Samuel 19:15,
and also half the people of Israel; or a part of them, as
the word used signifies, and not always an equal half, so Kimchi observes; even
such of Israel as went out with David at first, and the a thousand men of Benjamin
that came to meet him, 2 Samuel 19:17.
2 Samuel 19:41 41 Just then all the men of
Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men
of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s
men with him across the Jordan?”
YLT
41And, lo, all the men of
Israel are coming unto the king, and they say unto the king, `Wherefore have
they stolen thee -- our brethren, the men of Judah?' (and they bring the king
and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him).
And, behold, all the men
of Israel came to the king,.... A large number of them, the other part
that did not come over with David, some of their principal men, who met him
upon the road:
and said unto the king, why have our brethren, the men of Judah,
stolen thee away; secretly, privately, and unknown to them, and were bringing him
back to Jerusalem:
and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men
with him, over Jordan? him, and his family, and soldiers.
2 Samuel 19:42 42 So all the men of Judah
answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative of
ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s
expense? Or has he given us any gift?”
YLT
42And all the men of Judah
answer against the men of Israel, `Because the king [is] near unto us, and why
[is] this -- ye are displeased about this matter? have we at all eaten of the
king's [substance?] a gift hath he lifted up to us?'
And all the men of Judah
answered the men of Israel,.... Such of them as went down to fetch the
king back, replied to the men of Israel that now met them, and objected to
their conduct:
because the king is near of kin to us; being of
their tribe, and his palace was within their borders, and therefore they were
proper persons to bring him home:
wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? for bringing
the king back, and being the first in it; for who so proper as they, not only
to do their duty, but to show their affection to the king as early as possible?
have we eaten at all of the king's cost? they had
maintained themselves at their own expense, going and returning; they had no
self-interest or selfish views to serve, but on the contrary had been at a
considerable charge to meet the king, and conduct him home:
or hath he given us any gift? no, he had not, nor did
they expect any; it was not with a view to any reward that they had taken this
step, but purely out of affection to the king, and for the good of their
country.
2 Samuel 19:43 43 And the men of Israel
answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore
we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise
us—were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?” Yet the words of
the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
YLT
43And the men of Israel
answer the men of Judah, and say, `Ten parts we have in the king, and also in
David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word
hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah
is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.
And the men of Israel
answered the men of Judah, and said,.... They replied to
them, as follows:
we have ten parts in the king; being ten tribes,
reckoning Simeon in the tribe of Judah, within which it lay, Joshua 19:1,
and we have, also more right in David than ye; being more
numerous than they; or, according to the Targum, they had more affection and
good will towards David than the men of Judah, though he was of their tribe,
and dwelt among them; since the rebellion was begun, and was cherished and
carried on among them:
why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first
had in bringing back our king? they were as ready and as desirous as they
to fetch the king back; and since they were far the largest body of men, and
the far greater part of the nation, they thought they ought to have been
consulted in an affair of so much importance, and that doing it without them
was slighting them, and casting contempt upon them, and insinuating as if they
were enemies to the king; or, as the Targum expresses it,"was not my word
first to bring back my king?'the first motion was from them, as appears from 2 Samuel 19:11; and
therefore the thing should not have been done without them; they should have
been apprized of it, that they might at least have joined them, and shared in
the honour with them of bringing the king back:
and the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of
the men of Israel; not those that are here recorded, but what followed, and are not
written, being so very warm and indecent; and David being silent in this hot
dispute between them, which was interpreted taking the part of Judah, the men
of Israel were incensed at it; and hence arose a new rebellion, of which more
in the next chapter how it began, and was crushed.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)