the face . Figure of speech Pleonasm, with Prosopopceia. App-6 . devoured. Hebrew "multiplied to devour", to emphasise the great number. Figure of speech Prosopopaia. App-6 .
Beware that none touch = Watch any one who (would touch) the, &c. After "Watch", Septuagint, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate add "for my sake", as in 2 Samuel 18:5 .
pillar . Marks ambition's aim, while the heap of stones (2 Samuel 18:17 ) marks ambition's end.
no son. Compare 2 Samuel 14:27 . Therefore built, before the first-born; or after his sons (2 Samuel 14:27 ) were dead. place-monument. About a quarter of a mile east of Jerusalem, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
Blessed be the LORD thy God . Some codices, with three early printed editions, reverse the order, thus changing the emphasis, and read: "Jehovah thy God be blessed".
Verse 1
numbered = mustered, or inspected. David, was now fifty-six.
Verse 3
succour us out of the city = come to us out of the city with succour by prayer and counsel.
Verse 5
heard. this explains 2 Samuel 18:12
Verse 6
wood of Ephraim . Compare Joshua 17:15-18
Verse 8
the face . Figure of speech Pleonasm, with Prosopopceia. App-6 . devoured. Hebrew "multiplied to devour", to emphasise the great number. Figure of speech Prosopopaia. App-6 .
Verse 9
taken up . The tradition about his "hair" comes from Josephus 2 Samuel 10:2 ).
Verse 10
man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
Verse 11
girdle . A common present, made of silk, linen, or leather, and worked sometimes in gold. Used for fastening up loose garments.
Verse 12
our hearing . See 2 Samuel 18:5
Beware that none touch = Watch any one who (would touch) the, &c. After "Watch", Septuagint, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulgate add "for my sake", as in 2 Samuel 18:5 .
Verse 13
life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
Verse 14
darts = clubs. Hebrew. shebet, a club with a long spike at the end. Still used in Palestine.
Verse 15
armour = weapons.
slew him . David being fifty-seven years old; Absalom, twenty-four; Solomon, seven.
Verse 17
heap of stones . Not a memorial to honour but to warn (Joshua 7:26 ; Joshua 8:29 ). See note on 2 Samuel 18:18 .
Verse 18
pillar . Marks ambition's aim, while the heap of stones (2 Samuel 18:17 ) marks ambition's end.
no son. Compare 2 Samuel 14:27 . Therefore built, before the first-born; or after his sons (2 Samuel 14:27 ) were dead. place-monument. About a quarter of a mile east of Jerusalem, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
Verse 19
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
Verse 24
between the two gates . The outer and inner gates of the city wall.
Verse 25
If he be alone . Otherwise it would be flight.
Verse 26
porter = gatekeeper. No gates without the "Bawab "or gatekeeper. Compare 2 Kings 7:17 . 1 Chronicles 9:21 .
Verse 27
good . Compare 1 Kings 1:42 .
Verse 28
Blessed be the LORD thy God . Some codices, with three early printed editions, reverse the order, thus changing the emphasis, and read: "Jehovah thy God be blessed".
God. Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
men . Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .
Verse 29
and = even.
what it was = what [it meant].
Verse 32
be as that young man . Figure of speech Euphemism. App-6 .
Verse 33
my son . . . my son . Figure of speech Epizeuxis. App-6 . for = instead of.