Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 19

Verses 1-2

And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 3

And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

The people gat them by stealth ... into the city. The rumour of the king's disconsolate condition spread a universal and unseasonable gloom. His troops, instead of being welcomed back, as a victorious army always was, with music and other demonstrations of public joy, slunk secretly and silently into the city, as if ashamed, after the commission of some crime.

Verse 4

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

The king covered his face - one of the usual signs of mourning (see the notes at 2 Samuel 15:30).

Verse 5

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, 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;

Thou hast shamed ... the faces of all thy servants - by withdrawing thyself to indulge in grief, as if their services were disagreeable, and their devotion irksome to thee. Instead of hailing their return with joy and gratitude, thou hast refused them the small gratification of seeing thee. Joab's remonstrance was right and necessary, but it was made with harshness. He was one of those persons who spoil their important services by the insolence of their manners, and who always awaken a feeling of obligation in those to whom they render any services. He spoke to David in a tone of hauteur that ill became a subject to show toward his king.

Verse 6

In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 7

Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants. The king felt the truth of Joab's reprimand: but the threat by which it was enforced, grounded as it was on the general's unbounded popularity with the army, showed him to be a dangerous person; and that circumstance, together with the violation of an express order to deal gently for his sake with Absalom, produced in David's mind a settled hatred, which was strongly manifested in his last directions to Solomon.

Verse 8

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

The king arose, and sat in the gate - appeared daily in the usual place for the hearing of causes.

All the people came before the king - i:e., the loyal natives who had been faithful to his government, and fought in his cause.

Israel had fled - i:e., the adherents of Absalom, who, on his defeat, had dispersed, and saved themselves by flight.

Verse 9

And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

All the people were at strife. The kingdom was completely disorganized. The sentiments of three different parties are represented in 2 Samuel 19:9-10 - the royalists, the adherents of Absalom, who had been very numerous, and those who were indifferent to the Davidic dynasty. In these circumstances the king was right in not hastening back, as a conqueror, to re-ascend his throne. A re-election was in some measure necessary. He remained for some time on the other side of Jordan, in expectation of being invited back. That invitation was given, without, however, the concurrence of Judah; and David, disappointed and vexed by his own tribe's apparent lukewarmness, despatched the two high priests to rouse the Judahites to take a prominent interest in his cause. It was the act of a skillful politician, as, Hebron having been the seat of the rebellion, it was graceful on his part to encourage their return to allegiance and duty; and it was an appeal to their honour not to be the last of the tribes. But this separate message, and the preference given to them, occasioned an outburst of jealousy among the other tribes that was nearly followed by fatal consequences.

Verses 10-12

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 13

And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

And say ye to Amasa ... This also was a dexterous stroke of policy. David was fully alive to the importance of extinguishing the rebellion-of withdrawing from that cause the only leader who could keep it alive; and he therefore secretly intimated his intention to raise Amasa to the command of the army in room of Joab, whose overbearing haughtiness had become intolerable. The king justly reckoned that, from natural temper, as well as gratitude for the royal pardon, he would prove a more tractable servant; and David doubtless intended in all sincerity to fulfill this promise. But Joab managed to retain his high position, (see the notes at 2 Samuel 20:1-26.)

Verse 14

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah - i:e., Amasa, who had been won over, used his great influence in re-attaching the whole tribe of Judah to the interest of David. They who had stood aloof became ardent in their zeal for the king's restoration; and the partial severance of the kingdom which David apprehended from the coldness and inaction of Judah was nearly produced by the sudden impetuosity of their zeal in the cause of royalty.

Verse 15

So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

Judah came to Gilgal - as the most convenient place where preparations could be made for bringing the king and court over the Jordan.

Verse 16

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

Shimei ...

Verse 17

And 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 Jordan before the king.

A thousand men of Benjamin with him. This display of his followers was to show what force he could raise against or in support of the king. Expressing the deepest regret for his former outrageous conduct, he was pardoned on the spot; and although the son of Zeruiah urged the expediency of making this chief a public example, his officiousness was repulsed by David with magnanimity, and with the greater confidence that he felt himself now re-established in the kingdom (see the notes at 1 Kings 2:8-9). David confirmed his pledge to this man by a solemn oath.

Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul. He had deceived his master, and when ordered to make ready the donkey for the lame prince to go and meet the king, slipped away by himself to pay court first; so that Mephibosheth, being lame, had to remain in Jerusalem until the kings arrival.

Verse 18

And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

Ferry boat - probably rafts, which are still used on that part of the river. If there was a ferry boat, it was a luxury apparently provided for the convenience of the king's household. But Josephus calls it a bridge of boats ('Antiquities,' b. 7:, ch. 11:, sec. 2). The Septuagint refers this to the men, the servants of Ziba, and the attendants of Shimei, who helped to carry the members of the royal household across the river [kai eleitourgeesan teen leitourgian tou diabibasai ton basilea, and they performed the service of carrying over the king. Kai diebee hee diabasis tou exegeirai ton oikon tou basileoos kai tou poieesai to euthes en ofthalmois autou-And the passage was effected by gathering together (on the western bank of the Jordan) the household of the king, and doing what was pleasing in his sight].

Verse 19

And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 20

For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

The first ... of all the house of Joseph - i:e., before all the rest of Israel (Ps. 67:15; Psalms 80:1; Psalms 81:5; Zechariah 10:6).

Verses 21-23

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?

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 24

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

Mephibosheth ... came down to meet the king. The reception given to Mephibosheth was less creditable to David. The sincerity of that prince's grief for the misfortunes of the king cannot be doubted. He "had neither dressed his feet" (not taken the bath), "nor trimmed his beard" [ `aasaah (H6213) sªpaamow (H8222), trimmed the lip, beard, or moustache (cf. Leviticus 13:45; Micah 3:7); Septuagint, epoieese ton mustaka autou]. The Hebrews cut off the hair on the upper lip (see the notes at Leviticus 13:45) and cheeks, but in mourning let it grow carelessly, as on the chin. Besides dyeing the beard some colour, which, however, is the exception, and not the rule in the East, there are various modes of trimming it: they train it into a massy, bushy form, swelling and round; or they terminate it like a pyramid, in a sharp point. Whatever the mode, it is always trimmed with the greatest care; and they usually carry a small comb for the purpose.

The neglect of this attention to his beard was an undoubted proof of the depth of Mephibosheth's grief. The king seems to have received him upbraidingly, and not to have been altogether sure either of his guilt or innocence. It is impossible to commend the cavalier treatment, any more than to approve the partial award, of David in this case. If he were too hurried and distracted by the pressure of circumstances to inquire fully into the matter, he should have postponed his decision; because if by 'dividing the land' (2 Samuel 19:29) he meant that the former arrangement should be continued, by which Mephibosheth was acknowledged the proprietor, and Ziba the farmer, it was a hardship inflicted on the owner to fix him with a tenant who had so grossly slandered him. But if 'by dividing the land,' they were now to share alike, the injustice of the decision was greatly increased by his being made partner with his selfish and slanderous steward. Jerome ('Quest. Hehraicae,' in loco) says that the later Jews believed the division of David's kingdom was an act done by the retributive justice of Providence for the unequal measure awarded to Mephibosheth. Whatever may be thought of the hasty and imprudent conduct of David, in any view the generous, disinterested spirit displayed by Mephibosheth was worthy a son of the noble-hearted Jonathan.

Verses 25-30

And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 31

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. Barzillai the Gileadite. The rank, great age, and chivalrous devotion of this Gileadite chief win our respect.

Verses 32-34

Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 35

I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

Can I discern between good and evil? - does not refer to moral good and evil, but solely to the varying means and enjoyments of life. His declining to go to court, his recommendation of his son, his convoy across the Jordan, and his parting scene with the king, are interesting incidents. What mark of royal favour was bestowed on Chimham has not been recorded; but it is probable that David gave a great part of his personal patrimony in Beth-lehem to Chimham and his heirs in perpetuity (Jeremiah 41:17).

The voice of singing men singing women? Bands of professional musicians form a prominent appendage to the courts of Oriental princes.

Verse 36

Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Verse 37

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

Buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. This is an instance of the strong affection of people in the East toward the places of sepulture appropriated to their families.

Behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with any lord the king. It is an interesting corroboration of Chimham's introduction to the court of David, that a trace of his residence and property is found so late as the days of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 41:17).

Verses 38-39

And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

No JFB commentary on these verses.

Verse 40

Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

Gilgal ... all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. Whether from impatience to move on, or from some other cause, David did not wait until the representatives of all the tribes had arrived to conduct him on his return to the capital. The procession began as soon as Amasa had brought the Judahite escort, and the preference given to this tribe produced a bitter jealousy, which was nearly kindling a civil war, fiercer than that which had just ended. A war of words ensued between the chiefs of the various tribes, Israel resting their argument on their superior numbers: 'they had ten parts in the king,' whereas Judah had no more than one. Judah rested their right to take the lead, on the ground of their nearer relationship to the king. This was a claim dangerous to the house of David; and it shows the seeds were already sown of that tribal dissension which ere long led to the dismemberment of the kingdom.