1David, having mustered his troops under three principal leaders, giveth them a strict charge not to hurt Absalom. 6The men of Israel are smitten in the wood of Ephraim. 9Absalom hanging by the hair of his head in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit. 18Absalom's place. 19Ahimaaz and Cushi carry tidings to David, 33who mourneth for Absalom.
1AND David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of 1Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
1 See 2 Sam. 15 on verse 19.
3But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not 2care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: 3but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou 4succour us out of the 5city.
2 That is, not care for it, be much troubled at it, make much ado about it; for they do not mind or regard us, but your person only.
3 That is, your person is of more concern than many thousands of us. Compare herewith the words of Ahithophel, 2 Sam. 17:2, 3. Other, though they were ten thousand times more of us, according as we are now.
4 Hebr. be to help; when we would be in a strait.
5 Mahanaim, as 2 Sam. 17:24, 27.
4And the king said unto them, What seemeth you 6best I will do. And the king stood 7by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.
6 That is, what pleases you, or seems good unto you.
7 Or, on the place, between the two gates, verse 24. Hebr. properly: hand, but of such use of this word see Deut. 23 on verse 12 and below verse 18 and elsewhere.
5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6¶So the people went out into the field against 8Israel: and the battle was in the 9wood of Ephraim;
8 That is, Absalom and his men, who are constantly called Israel in this place, since the most part of Israel was with him.
9 This woodland was not situated too far from Mahanaim on the east side of the Jordan, in Gilead, in the tribe of Gad; but received the name of Ephraim’s wood (as some perceive) from the defeat of Ephraim in the time of Jephthah, the Gileadite. See Judges 12:1, 4, 5. The land of Ephraim was on the west side of the Jordan, in the land of Canaan.
7Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of 10twenty thousand men.
10 Of the Israelites, who were smitten by David’s men.
8For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood 11devoured 12more people that day than the sword devoured.
11 That is, those, who fled into the wood or were driven thither, perished in the wood, being themselves entangled and wounded in one thing or another, and falling into pits and bogs, and perhaps also being rent of wild beasts, or dying of hunger and thirst.
12 Hebr. the wood multiplied to devour, etc.
9¶And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the 13thick boughs of a great oak, and 14his head caught hold of the oak, and he 15was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
13 Hebr. the thickness.
14 In regard of his long hair (whereof 2 Sam. 14:26) slipped about the thick boughs of the oak and caught hold thereon.
15 Or, continued hanging. Hebr. was given.
10And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
11And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten 16shekels of silver, and a girdle.
16 See Gen. 20 on verse 16.
12And the man said unto Joab, Though I should 17receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 18Beware that none touch 19the young man Absalom.
17 That is, being weighed unto me, receive or count them in mine hands.
18 Meaning, touching or hurting. Hebr. properly: keep or consider thyself, lay hold of, take into consideration, look to it (as we say) whosoever to or toward the young man, to Absalom. The sense is: whosoever, or he who hurts him, him will I, etc. It is an incomplete speech, much in use even among us. Or, look to it that no man hurts him. Other, let every man consider the young man, Absalom.
19 Meaning, touching or hurting. Hebr. properly: keep or consider thyself, lay hold of, take into consideration, look to it (as we say) whosoever to or toward the young man, to Absalom. The sense is: whosoever, or he who hurts him, him will I, etc. It is an incomplete speech, much in use even among us. Or, look to it that no man hurts him. Other, let every man consider the young man, Absalom.
1320Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thy-self wouldest have set thyself 21against me.
20 That is, if I, having slain Absalom, would falsely deny it, yet it would not be hid from the king and then would I go in danger of my life. Other, his soul, that is, toward or against Absalom’s life or person.
21 That is, you would forsake me and stand aloof, without helping me. Compare Psalm 38:11. Other, oppose.
14Then said Joab, 22I may not tarry 23thus with thee. And he took three 24darts in his hand, and thrust them through the 25heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in 26the midst of the oak.
22 As if he would say: It is no time to stay longer here with you; I will do as I understand it.
23 Hebr. before thy face.
24 Or, arrows. Understand: javelins, small lances or any such like sharp weapon used in war in those times.
25 That is, into the midst of his body, about the heart; for, it appears in verse 15 that he was still alive.
26 Hebr. in the heart of the oak. See Deut. 4 on verse 11.
15And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
17And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great 27heap of stones upon him: and all 28Israel fled every one to his 29tent.
27 A total different kind of monument, set up by God’s righteous judgment than that which he had caused to be set up for himself in his lifetime. See the following verse.
28 Who had followed Absalom.
29 That is, dwelling places.
18¶Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the 30king’s dale: for he said, I have 31no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s 32place.
30 See Gen. 14:17.
31 Hence appears that Absalom’s sons (whereof mention was made in 2 Sam. 14:27) were dead at this time.
32 That is, monument, or, hand; that is, his work. Some perceive that it was a pillar, so called from the fashion of an hand. Other, place or room. See on verse 4. Compare 1 Sam. 15 on verse 12.
19¶Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath 33avenged him of his enemies.
33 That is, hath delivered him doing right. Also verse 31. Compare the annotation Judges 2 on verse 16.
20And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear 34tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, 35because the king's son is dead.
34 Hebr. no man of errand or tidings. Compare 2 Sam. 8 on verse 10.
35 As if he would say: you will carry such news or tidings which will not please the king. Other, for it would be of the king’s dead son.
21Then said Joab to 36Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
36 Or, the blackamoor or Arabian (see Num. 12 on verse 1), being also one of David’s servants, as appears from verse 31. Joab seems to have made choice of this man because he was a stranger. Some perceive it to be a proper name.
22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, 37But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my 38son, seeing that thou hast no 39tidings ready?
37 As if he would say: Be what it will, be or come what may; so in the following verse. It seems that he imagined a better thing than Joab had said.
38 That is, dear young man, whom I love as my son. Thus persons, who are elder and greater, are wont to speak in a loving and friendly way to the younger and humbler sort. See Gen. 43 on verse 29.
39 Hebr. finding tidings, that is, pleasant, appropriate, well agreeing, suitable. Compare Num. 11:22. Other, seeing it would be no profitable tidings for thee, or, seeing it would bring thee nothing in, that is, no messenger’s reward or favor, but the contrary. Or thus: seeing no good tidings is offered unto thee or offers itself unto thee.
23But howsoever, said 40he, let me run. And 41he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overrana Cushi.
40 Ahimaaz.
41 Joab.
a outran
24And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And 42he came apace, and drew near.
42 Ahimaaz, whom the watchman saw first. Hebr. he went going.
26And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
27And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
28And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, 43All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, 44Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath 45delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
43 That is, all is well; as if he would say, I bring good news.
44 Or, Praised.
45 Or, shut up, namely, in the hands of David’s men. Also 1 Sam. 24:19; 26:8 and elsewhere.
29And the king said, 46Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz 47answered, When Joab sent the king’s 48servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great 49tumult, but I knew not what it was.
46 Hebr. has he peace? Also verse 32.
47 Having further considered Joab’s words, he conceals the news concerning Absalom.
48 Cushi.
49 Or, a great multitude.
30And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
31And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath 50avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.
50 As verse 19.
32And the king said unto Cushi, 51Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
51 As verse 29.
33¶And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he 52said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! 53would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
52 David had sundry causes or occasions to be heartily grieved about this mishap, especially when, besides his son’s temporal death, he might fear his eternal ruin and destruction.
53 Hebr. who will give, or who would give, that, etc. See of such phrase or manner of speaking in wishing, Exod. 16 on verse 3; Deut. 5 on verse 29, etc.