1Ziba by presents and false suggestions obtaineth his master's inheritance. 5Shimei curseth David at Bahurim. 9David's patience and forbearance. 15Hushai insinuateth himself into Absalom's counsels. 20By Ahithophel's counsel Absalom openly goeth in to his father's concubines.
1AND when David was a little past the 1top of the hill, behold, Ziba the 2servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses 3saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
1 Of Mount of Olivet.
2 Or, lad, that is, servant or young man. See of this man 2 Sam. 9:2, etc.
3 Other, girded, laden.
2And the king said unto Ziba, 4What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s 5household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the 6wilderness may drink.
4 Hebr. what shall they do to thee?
5 There were some women and also friends and courtiers of the king, besides the king himself, who went on foot, 2 Sam. 15:16, 17, 30.
6 See 2 Sam. 15:23; 17:29.
3And the king said, And where is thy 7master’s 8son? Anda Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he 9said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
7 Of Jonathan.
8 Mephibosheth.
a 2 Sam. 19:27.
9 A shameful disloyalty to his lord with a bold lie, which David, without further inquiry, believed too soon. See 2 Sam. 19:26, 27.
4Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, 10thine are all 11that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly 12beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
10 A rash judgment of such a wise king. See 2 Sam. 19:27, etc.
11 See 2 Sam. 9:7, 9.
12 As a sign of reverence and thankfulness, 2 Sam. 14:22. This was all that Ziba aimed at, to make David’s necessity serve his own particular profit.
5¶And when king David came to 13Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was 14Shimei,b the son of Gera: he 15came forth, and cursed still as he came.
13 See 2 Sam. 3 on verse 16; 2 Sam. 19:16.
14 Hebr. Schimi.
b 1 Kings 2:8.
15 Hebr. he went, or, came forth, going forth or coming forth, and cursed; that is, ever going and cursing. Compare 2 Sam. 13:19 and below, verse 13.
6And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: 16and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
16 Notwithstanding that all these marched by David’s side, he dared such a bold attempt.
7And thus said Shimei 17when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou 18bloody man, and thou 19man of Belial:
17 Or, as or while he cursed him, namely, David.
18 Hebr. man of bloods, that is, thou murderer, thou bloodthirsty man, see Psalm 5 on verse 6.
19 See Deut. 13 on verse 13.
8The LORD hath returned 20upon thee all the blood of the house of 21Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy 22mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
20 See Judges 9 on verse 24.
21 He reviles David as the author of Abner’s and Ishbosheth’s death, intimating that by that means David came to the crown of all Israel.
22 Hebr. evil, that is, misery, punishment of your sins.
9¶Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this 23deadc dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
23 See 2 Sam. 9 on verse 8.
c 1 Sam. 24:15; 2 Sam. 9:8.
10And the king said, 24What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? 25so let him curse, because the LORD hath 26said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then 27say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
24 Hebr. what is to me and to you? or what have I and ye?, namely, to do with one another. As if he had said: why do you always vex me with your wrath and hastiness, whereby you are prone to be ready at once with the sword. Also 2 Sam. 19:22; Judges 11:12, etc.
25 Or, that he curseth?
26 Do not properly understand this as if God had commanded it either outwardly by His Word or inwardly by His Holy Spirit; but by comparison from the secret guidance and Providence of God, whereby He delivered up this same Shimei unto Satan and to his own wicked lusts, and so overruled his wickedness which he had of and from himself, that he now exercises it against David to chastise and humble him as a gracious and loving Father, and then justly to punish Shimei’s wickedness. Compare 1 Sam. 18:10, 11; 2 Sam. 12:11, 12; 24:1; 1 Kings 22:21, 22; 1 Chron. 21:1.
27 Namely, unto the Lord. Although at this time God did David no wrong, yet Shimei committed a grievous crime which judged David to be worthy of punishment. See 1 Kings 2:9.
11And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, 28seeketh my life: how much more now may this 29Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath 30bidden him.
28 That is, hunts after my life. See 2 Sam. 4 on verse 8.
29 That is, this Benjamite, as Judges 19:16. Shimei was of Saul’s family, verse 5, and Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin. See 2 Sam. 3 on verse 19; 2 Sam. 19:16.
30 See on the previous verse.
12It may be that the LORD will look on mine 31affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his 32cursing this day.
31 Other, mine eye, that is, my tears.
32 That is, wherewith Shimei curses me this day or it may be that God will also, even this very day, allot me some good for this curse.
13And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei 33went along on the hill's side over against 34him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones 35at him, and 36cast dust.
33 Hebr. went going.
34 David.
35 Or, against him.
36 That is, he raised dust and kicked it up or cast it upon David and his men; or, he threw lumps or pieces of earth, so that David and his men were all dusted with it.
14And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
15¶And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with 37him.
37 Absalom.
16And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, 38God save the king, God save the king.
38 That is, I wish the king health and happiness with a long life.
17And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
19And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence 39of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.
39 Of David.
20¶Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
21And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, 40Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall 41hear that thou art 42abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee 43be strong.
40 That is, lie with them. See Gen. 6 on verse 4.
41 That is, hearing that, they will understand and perceive that you go in good earnest against your father and care not for him, so that they need not fear that you will be reconciled to your father, and they then be in danger of punishment.
42 See Gen. 34 on verse 30.
43 That is, they will take heart and courage to go on stoutly and without fear with you against your father. As on the contrary the hands growing slack signifies to lose all courage and valor. See 2 Sam. 4:1.
22So they spread Absalom a tent upon the 44top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in 45the sight of all Israel.
44 See Deut. 22 on verse 8; 2 Sam. 11:2.
45 Without either shame or fear of God or men, did he follow this detestable counsel, because it proceeded from Ahithophel, whose counsel was so highly esteemed, as follows. Thus it is fulfilled which God had foretold David by Nathan, 2 Sam. 12:11, 12.
23And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was 46as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
46 That is, so much and so highly esteemed, as if the counsel came from God Himself. So that David had cause enough to pray unto God, as he did in 2 Sam. 15:31. Now how God heard David, and disgraced both Ahithophel and his counsel, see thereof in the following chapter.