Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 17

Introduction

2 SAMUEL CHAPTER 17

Hushai, David’s friend, being, by David’s order, gone over to Absalom, by God’s appointment overthroweth Ahithophel’s counsel, 2 Samuel 17:1-14.

Hushai certifieth David thereof, and adviseth him forthwith to march on, 2 Samuel 17:15-21.

David passeth over Jordan, 2 Samuel 17:22.

Ahithophel hangeth himself, 2 Samuel 17:23.

David cometh to Mahanaim: Absalom passeth over Jordan, making Amasa the captain of his host, 2 Samuel 17:21-26.

David is there furnished with provisions by his friends, 2 Samuel 17:27-29.

Verse 1

I am so well assured of the goodness of this counsel, that I will venture my own person and life in execution of it.

Verse 2

Weary and weak-handed; tired with a tedious march on foot, and destitute of men and military provisions; and disheartened by his own small numbers, and by the general defection of his subjects.

Verse 3

The man whom thou seekest is as if all returned, i. e. the death of that man whom thou seekest to destroy is no less considerable to thee, than if all the people that follow him should desert him and return unto thee.

Verse 5

A wonderful effect of Divine Providence, blinding his mind, and influencing his heart, that he could not rest in Ahithophel’s counsel, though it was so evidently wise, and good, and approved by the general consent of his whole party; and that he should desire Hushai’s advice, though neither his reputation for wisdom was equal to Ahithophel’s, nor had he yet given any one proof of his fidelity to Absalom as Ahithophel had done; nor was he so fixed by his interest to him as Ahithophel was; and though there wanted not just cause to suspect him and his counsel too. But there is no contending with that God who can arm a man against himself, and destroy him by his own mistakes and passions, without any other help.

Verse 7

Though at other times he generally gives most wise and admirable counsel; yet, as he is a man, he seems now to be under a mistake, and not sufficiently to consider all the present circumstances of this business.

Verse 8

Mighty men; of approved courage and strength, therefore not so soon vanquished as Ahithophel supposeth.

Chafed in their minds, Heb. bitter of soul, inflamed with rage; desperate, and therefore resolved to sell their lives at a dear rate.

A man of war; a wise prince and general; who knowing of what importance it is to secure his own person, and that your great design is against his life, will doubtless use extraordinary care to keep out of your reach, which he may easily do.

Verse 9

He is hid now in some pit, or in some other place; having been oft accustomed to that course, and well acquainted with all hidingplaces from Saul’s time. In one of them, unknown to us, he will lurk with some of his chosen men, and lie in ambush for us; and when they see a fit opportunity, they will suddenly come forth and surprise some of our men when they least expect it, and fall upon them with great fury, and probably will at first put them to flight.

Some of them, to wit, of Absalom’s men sent against David.

Overthrown at the first; implying that their good success at first would mightily animate David’s men to proceed vigorously in the fight, and intimidate Absalom’s army, and consequently would be both a presage and an occasion of their total defeat.

Whosoever heareth it will say; they who first hear these ill tidings will propagate it, and strike terror with it into the rest of the army.

Verse 10

The known fame of the prodigious valour of David and his followers will easily gain credit to that report, and strike the stoutest of our men with dread, even Ahithophel himself, if he should go with them.

Verse 11

His pretence was, that they might have a far greater army, and make sure though slow work; his design was to gain David more time, that he might increase his army, and make better provisions for the battle; and that the present heat of the people might be cooled, and they might at last bethink themselves of their duty to David, and return to their former allegiance.

That thou go to battle in thine own person; for thy presence will put more life and courage into all thy soldiers, who will be ambitious to show their utmost skill and courage in defending thy person and cause, when they know that all their actions are observed by him who hath the distribution of rewards and punishments in his hands. So mayst thou also give counsel as occasion offers, and encourage thy men to kill David, which otherwise they may possibly be afraid to do. Besides, the glory of the victory will be wholly thine, which now Ahithophel seeks to get to himself.

Verse 12

As the dew falleth on the ground, i. e. plenteously, suddenly, irresistibly, and on all sides; for so the dew falls.

Verse 13

Then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city; not that they should do so, or that it was the custom to do so; but it is an hyperbolical and thrasonical expression, suited to the vain-glorious temper of this insolent young man; and therefore most likely to prevail with him; implying that they would do so if they could not discover and destroy him another way; or that they should be enough to do so, if there were occasion. We will draw it into the river, adjoining to the city; it being usual to build cities near some river, both for defence, and for other accommodations.

Verse 14

Absalom and all the men of Israel were infatuated by a Divine power, and given up to believe lies and mistakes.

The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel; so it was, politically considered; being the wisest and most effectual course to accomplish Absalom’s end.

Verse 16

Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, lest the king’s and people’s minds change, and Ahithophel, by his deep wit and great interest, persuade the king to follow his former advice, and to pursue you speedily.

Verse 17

En-rogel, or, the fuller’s well; a place near Jerusalem, Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16.

A wench went and told them; pretending to go thither to wash some clothes,

Verse 18

A lad saw them, who knew them to be favourers of David, and observed them to wait there upon design, and to gain intelligence, and possibly saw the wench speaking privately to them.

They went both of them away quickly; suspecting by this lad’s observation and carriage that they were discovered.

Wither they went down; either to some hole in the side of the pit; or to the bottom of the pit, it being then dry, as pits often were in those hot countries. And this being in so open a place, they concluded none would imagine them to be hid there. And besides, they relied upon God’s good providence, which they knew watched over David, and them for his sake.

Verse 19

Spread ground corn thereon, under pretence of drying it by the sun; which shows it was summer time.

Verse 20

Over the brook of water, i.e. over Jordan. This was a manifest lie; but because it was spoken for no hurt, but good only, many persons in those times conceived such lies to be lawful. Compare Exodus 1:19; Joshua 2:4,Joshua 2:5. But although God was pleased to overlook and pardon the sin, and graciously to reward the good intention which accompanied them; yet it is certain that all kinds of lies are moral evils, and condemned by plain scriptures, and that we must not do evil that good may come, nor tell a lie for God’s glory, Romans 3:7,Romans 3:8.

Verse 22

They passed over Jordan; either at the ford, or in boats.

Verse 23

Put his household in order; disposed of his estate by will. Compare Isaiah 38:1.

Hanged himself; partly because he could not endure to outlive his disgrace, and the rejection of his counsel; and partly because he foresaw by this means David would gain time and strength, and in all probability be victorious, and then the storm would fall most heavily upon his head, as the main author and pillar of the rebellion, and the contriver of those two pernicious counsels above mentioned.

Verse 24

Mahanaim; a place in the country of Gilead, bordering upon the land of the Ammonites, 2 Samuel 17:27. See Genesis 32:2; 2 Samuel 2:8.

Absalom passed over Jordan; not speedily, but when all the men of Israel were gathered together according to Hushai’s counsel, who are said to be with him here, as it follows.

Verse 25

Ithra an Israelite.

Object. He was an Ishmaelite, 1 Chronicles 2:17.

Answ. Not Amasa; but Ithra, or Jether, Amasa’s father, is there so called, because he was such, either by his birth from such parents, or by his long habitation among them, or for some other reason now unknown. Compare 2 Samuel 15:18. And Amasa is here called an Israelite, either because he was a proselyte; or in opposition to Joab, who was of the tribe of Judah, as Amasa was of one of the ten tribes; or rather, to intimate, that although he or his parents were called Ishmaelites for some reason, yet as to their extraction they were indeed Israelites; which if Amasa had not been, it is not probable that he could have had so powerful an influence upon the tribe of Judah as he had, 2 Samuel 19:14.

That went in to Abigail, i.e. lay with her, whether being first married to her, or not, is uncertain.

The daughter of Nahash. Nahash is either another name of Jesse; or rather, the name of Jesse’s wife; by whom he had this Abigail, as he had Zeruiah by another wife; so they were sisters by the father, but not by the mother; and Nahash is here named to signify so much.

Verse 27

Shobi, as it may seem, disliked and disowned that barbarous action to the ambassadors; and therefore, when the rest were destroyed, was left king or governor of the residue of the Ammonites.

Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar. See above, 2 Samuel 9:4.

Verse 28

Beds and basons, i.e. all sorts of household stuff, as well as other provisions, all which David now wanted.

Verse 29

i.e. Having been

in the wilderness; which is an easy and common ellipsis. Or, because of (so the Hebrew particle beth is oft used) the wilderness, which they have passed through, in which provisions are very scarce.