Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 17

Verses 1-14

2 Samuel 17:1-14 . Ahithophel advises the instant pursuit and capture of David. “ I,” he says, “ will bring back all the people unto thee, as a bride returns to her husband; thou seekest the life of only one man, there shall be peace for all the people” ; read 2 Samuel 17:3 thus with LXX. Hushai advised delay, till an overwhelming force could be gathered which would overcome any possible resistance. Yahweh makes Absalom follow Hushai’ s counsel, to his own ruin.

Verses 15-29

2 Samuel 17:15-29 . David Comes to Mahanaim (J).

2 Samuel 17:15-21 . Meanwhile David was in constant communication with his agents in Jerusalem through Jonathan and Ahimaaz. But one day, apparently when the news of Ahithophel’ s advice was being conveyed to David, they were seen and pursued, but escaped by being hidden in a well ( cf. Joshua 2:6), and got away and brought the news to the king.

2 Samuel 17:17 . En-rogel: 1 Kings 1:9 *.

2 Samuel 17:20 . brook: michal, a word of unknown meaning, occurring only here.

2 Samuel 17:22-26 . David moves to Mahanaim, and Absalom pursues him with the whole levy of Israel. Ahithophel had committed suicide. Absalom’ s commander-in-chief was Amasa, son of Jether the Ishmaelite (so with 1 Chronicles 2:17), and of Abigail, the daughter of Jesse. (So Klostermann and others, with LXX and 1 Chronicles 2:17.) The “ Nahash” of the Heb. text may perhaps be partly due to the presence of the name in 2 Samuel 17:27. ( Of, on 1 Samuel 26:6.)

2 Samuel 17:27-29 . The Sheikhs in the lands E. of the Jordan supply David and his followers with provisions. Shobi may now have been king of Ammon, tributary to David.

2 Samuel 17:27 . Rogelim: not identified.

2 Samuel 17:28 . beds; read “ couches and rugs,” with Budde and others, on the basis of LXX.— parched pulse: omit.— cheese: shphoth only occurs here, meaning unknown; is as likely to be cheese as anything else.