Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Samuel · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Verſ. 1. ABſalom prepared him chariots and horſes, and fifty men to run before him.] This is doubtleſſe noted as an unuſuall ſtate in the princes of thoſe times, and as the firſt courſe he took, both to make known to the people that he expected to ſucceed his father in the throne (for in the great ſtate he took upon him, they might ſee what his hopes were) and alſo to gain upon the affection of the people; for outward pomp, and ſhews, and magnificence, are wont mightily to work upon the common people, who by the outward bravery of men are ſtill ready to conclude, that they are men of brave and gallant ſpirits: David we muſt know began now to be aged; Abſalom therefore remembring how his father had ſhewed his diſpleaſure againſt him for killing his brother Amnon, and fearing leaſt for that fact of his, he ſhould be judged unworthy to ſucceed him; yea, and hearing perhaps ſome rumours to that purpoſe ſcattered abroad concerning Solomon, through he were Davids eldeſt ſonne, yet he thought it not ſafe to abide his fathers death, but reſolved to ſee if he could make himſelf king, his father being yet living; and to that end, firſt he ſought ſecretly to winne unto himſelf a popular reputation, and ſo to ſteal away the hearts of the people from his father, and then brake forth into an open inſurrection againſt him: and thus the Lord did not onelyonly correct David for his ſinnes in the matter of Uriah, according to that which the Lord had ſaid to him by the prophet Nathan, Behold I will raiſe up evil againſt thee out of thine own houſe. chap. 12.11. but alſo, for his fond indulgence towards this his ungratious ſonne: when he had killed his brother, he was pardoned and was not cut off according to Gods law, and now did he lay a plot againſt his father, that had …o ſpared him, and ſought to take away both his crown and his life too.
Verſ. 2. And Abſalom roſe up early, and ſtood beſide the way of the gate, &c.] That is, the gate of the kings palace, or the gate of the citie, the place of judicature; and his riſing early to come thither is noted, becauſe even by this circumſtance, he did inſinuate himſelf into the hearts of the people, that he was ſo diligent and zealous in enquiring into the cauſes of them that were oppreſſed, riſing up early to look after the affairs of the people.
Verſ. 3. See, thy matters are good and right: but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.] Or as it is in the margent of our bibles, none will hear you from the king downwards. And indeed however the words are read, the meaning of theſe words of Abſalom was, not that the king had deputed no ſubordinate Judges or Magiſtrates, to hear the cauſes of thoſe that reſorted thither for juſtice, (for who can think that David had no judges under him to relieve thoſe that came to complain) but that none that were deputed to that office, would hear them uprightly and do them juſtice.
Verſ. 6. And on this manner did Abſalom to all Iſrael, that came to the king for judgement, &c.] That is, thus he flattered them all as is before related, verſ. 3. whether their cauſe were good or bad, it was all one to him, his anſwer was ſtill the ſame, See, thy matters are good and right: but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee: and thus he would embrace and kiſſe them all as is ſaid in the foregoing verſe, he made no difference between rich and poor, but would kiſſe and embrace the pooreſt man that came thither as ſoon as the greateſt; and this is noted firſt, to ſhew his deſperate wickedneſſe, in ſeeking ſo generally to ſpread the diſparagement of his fathers government▪ by pretending that there were none deputed of the king that would hearken to the juſt complaints of his ſubjec…s; had he whiſpered this in the eares of ſome few, the wrong had been great, but to ſpread it abroad ſo generally, made his villany the greater: ſecondly, to ſhew and ſet forth how baſely this proud wretch could ſtoop, that he might accompliſh his ambitious deſignes: and thirdly, to intimate by what means the people were ſo generally afterwards, inclinable to favour his conſpiracie, to wit, by this his ſcrewing himſelf generally into the affections of the people, that came to the king for juſtice (for by this means, as it follows in the next words, Abſalom ſtole the hearts of the men of Iſrael:) and it is ſaid, that he ſtole away their hearts, firſt, becauſe he wonne them to a deſire that the crown might be transferred from David to him: their affections might have been to him as their Prince, without any wrong to David; but to draw off thoſe affections of the people from David, which they did owe him as their ſovereigne the Lords anointed, and to winne them ſo to himſelf, that they ſhould wiſh that he were their king, this was manifeſt theft; becauſe thus their hearts ſhould have been ſet onelyonly upon David: and ſecondly, becauſe he did this ſo ſecretly, cloſely, and cunningly, that David diſcerned it not, nor did the people at firſt diſcover his aim; he did not openly perſwade them to revolt from his father, but by courting the people, and ſeeming to bewail their condition, that they had not ſuch a refuge in the ſeat of juſtice as they ſhould have, he did covertly and ſlily draw off by degrees the hearts and affections of the people, from the king to himſelf.
Verſ. 7. And it came paſſe after fourty years, that Abſalom ſaid unto the king, I pray thee, let me go, and pay my vows, &c.] Had he gone away with ſuch a number of the people after him, as he had drawn into his conſpiracie, and not acquainted his father beforehand with it, this might have been ſuſpected: under pretence therefore of a vow which he had made in Geſhur, to wit, that he would offer to God certain peace-offerings, gratulatory ſacrifices, if God ſhould be pleaſed to open a way for his return from that idolatrous place, to live again amongſt the people of God, and in his fathers favour, he begged leave of his father, that he might go and pay this his vow at Hebron, the place where he was born, and where his father was firſt crowned and anointed king, and where was one of the chief high places in the tribe of Judah, whether in thoſe time they reſorted to offer ſacrifices; and this he did, firſt, becauſe this ſhew of devotion he knew would pleaſe his father, and eaſily procure him liberty to go: and ſecondly, becauſe when they offered theſe peace-offerings, they uſed to make great feaſts therewith, and ſo under that colour he might invite thither his friends and followers, and many of the people, whom he might hope to winne to joyn with the reſt, in his intended conſpiracie: the greateſt difficulty of this place is, whence we muſt count theſe fourty years, after which it is ſaid here, that Abſalom got leave to go to Hebron, intending there to make himſelf king: that which would moſt readily come into any mans mind at the reading of theſe word is, that theſe fourty years muſt be counted from the beginning of Davids reigne, and then becauſe David reigned in all but fourty years, chap. 5.4. the meaning of the words muſt needs be this: And it came to paſſe after fourty years, that is, in the fourtieth yeare, to wit, the laſt year of Davids reigne, that Abſalom ſaid unto the king, I pray thee let me go, and pay my vow, &c. And indeed ſome of our beſt Expoſitours judge this account the moſt probable; partly, becauſe there can, they ſay, no juſt reaſon be given, why we ſhould count theſe fourty years from any other time, but the beginning of Davids reigne; and partly, becauſe in the laſt yeare of Davids reigne we may the better conceive why Abſalom ſhould break forth into theſe open and violent practiſes againſt his father, and ſhould find ſo many ſo ready to aſſiſt him herein, namely, becauſe his father began then to be very aged, and there could not but be ſome diſcovery by that time of Davids purpoſe to eſtabliſh Solomon in the throne; but yet becauſe it is very hard to conceive how all that which is afterwards related concerning Davids reigne, could poſſibly be done in one yeare, and particularly, how there could be within the compaſſe of one yeare, ſo great a change in David, that he ſhould in the time of Abſaloms rebellion, be able to fly on foot out of Jeruſalem, as it is ſaid he did, verſ. 14. yea and that barefoot too, verſ. 30. and yet afterwards before the yeare was ended, lie bedrid with age, ſo extremely cold, that though they covered him with clothes, yet he could get no heat, as it is ſaid he was before he died, 1. Kings 1.1. therefore indeed the moſt of Expoſitours do otherwiſe compute theſe fourty years, as that it is meant of Abſaloms age, or of the fourty years from the anointing of Saul, or of the fourty years of the current Jubilee, &c. of which all that I can ſay is this; namely, that there are onelyonly two of theſe wayes of accounting theſe fourty years, that have any great ſhew of probability in them: firſt, that of thoſe that account from Davids firſt anointing, 1. Sam. 16.13. and ſecondly, that of reckoning them from the firſt ſetting up a king amongſt them, which was when Saul was anointed, and indeed upon ſuch a remarkable change in the government of the commonwealth of Iſrael as that was, it may well be that they uſed ſtill to reckon the years from that obſervable change, as they have done in many other kingdomes upon the like occaſion.
Verſ. 10. But Abſalom ſent spies throughout all the tribes of Iſrael, &c.] The meaning of this is, that at the ſame time when he had plotted his journey to Hebron, when he intended amongſt his conſpiratours to be anointed king, he appointed alſo certain men as ſpies to go ſeverally into all the tribes of Iſrael, who were to ſearch and to ſift the hearts of the people in all places, and to prepare and fit them for this change; and at the ſet time agreed upon between them, to wit, when he was to be anointed king at Hebron, upon the ſound of trumpets they were to ſay, Abſalom reigneth in Hebron: As ſoon, ſaith he, as ye hear the ſound of the trumpet, then ye ſhall ſay, Abſalom reigneth in Hebron: whereby is meant, either that upon the ſounding of the trumpets in every tribe, theſe ſpies ſhould make known the reaſon of it to the people; namely, that it was becauſe Abſalom was made king in Hebron in ſtead of his father, that ſo then the people mighty cry out, as is uſuall at ſuch times, God ſave king Abſalom; or rather, that when the people were ſummoned by the ſound of the trumpet to come to Hebron, then theſe ſpies ſhould make known the cauſe, why they were called together, to wit, becauſe Abſalom in Hebron was newly crowned king.
Verſ. 11. And with Abſalom went two hundred men out of Jer;uſalem, that were called and they went in their ſimplicitie, &c.] That is, being invited to the feaſt of Abſaloms peace-offerings, they went in the ſimplicitie of their hearts, merely as invited gueſts not knowing any thing of the plotted conſpiracy: but why would Abſalom invite ſuch of whom he could have no aſſurance whether they would further his deſignes or no? I anſwer, that ſeverall reaſons might induce him hereto, to wit, firſt, becauſe he knew that the people generally favoured him, and therefore hoped that when they came thither and ſaw what was done, they would ſoon approve of it, and joyn in the conſpiracy: ſecondly, becauſe however, if they proved firm to his father, then his fathers party would be weakned by drawing ſo many out of the citie, that would there have taken his part againſt Abſalom: and thirdly, becauſe by inviting ſuch known faithfull men, that meant no ill, his plot intended would be the better concealed.
Verſ 14. Ariſe, and let us flee; for we ſhall not elſe eſcape from Abſalom, &c.] David was a man of great courage, the fort of Zion where he now was, was a place of great ſtrength, bands of garriſon ſouldiers he had, that attended him, as his guard the Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites, that were experienced ſouldiers, and men of tried valour, and many of the people there were too that were very faithfull to him: and yet when he heard that the hearts of the Iſraelites were generally for Abſalom, he would not ſtay in Jeruſalem, but fled preſently away, and he gives two reaſons for it, one leſt Abſalom ſhould ſurprize him, and the other leſt the citie Jeruſalem ſhould be ſmitten, whileſt ſome ſtood for him, and ſome for his ſonne Abſalom; which rather then he would hazard, he reſolved to flee abroad, and caſt himſelf there upon the providence of God make ſpeed, ſaith he, to depart, leſt he overtake us ſuddenly, and bring evil upon us, and ſ…te this citie with the edge of the ſword: by the third Pſalme which David penned at this time (the title of it is, A Pſalme of David when he fled from Abſalom his ſonne) it is clear that he was greatly cheared with the hope of Gods help; I will not, …aith he, be afraid of ten thouſands of people, that have ſet themſelves againſt me round about: though remembring that the Lord had threatned to raiſe up evil againſt him out of his own houſe, this might make him the more ſubject to be frighted and terrified: yet it ſeems at other times he encouraged himſelf in the Lord his God; ſo that his fleeing was onelyonly becauſe he ſaw that to be the ſafeſt and ſureſt way, both for his own preſervation, and the good of the citie: he ſaw the people were divided in every place, ſome holding with him, and ſome with the traitour his ſonne; what party his ſonne had in the citie, as yet he knew not, and ſhould the adverſe party prevail, he might by them he delivered up to his ſonne Abſalom, and the citie in that diſſention might be utterly ruined, and therefore that he might have time to diſcover how the people ſtood affected, and to uſe ſome means to defeat his ſonnes attempts, he judged it beſt for the preſent, not to truſt himſelf in Jeruſalem, but to encamp abroad in the fields and deſarts.
Verſ. 16. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the houſe.] It is hard to ſay what Davids intention was, in leaving theſe his concubines to keep his houſe: and indeed the leſſe cauſe there was for it, the more evident it was that there was an over-ruling providence of God in it, for the effecting of that which he had threatned againſt David, chap. 12.11. I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them to thy neighbour, and he ſhall lie with thy wives, &c. but yet the moſt probable conjecture is, that he left them there to ſecure his palace: not that he thought they were able to guard his houſe againſt Abſalom and his crew, but that he conceived that Abſalom would not for ſhame caſt them out, becauſe they were women and becauſe they were his fathers wives, ſo that if he had any regard to his father, he would not uſe them deſpitefully for his fathers ſake.
Verſ. 17. And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was farre off.] That is, being gotten away ſome reaſonable diſtance from the city there he ſtayed a while to wait for thoſe that would come out to him, and that he might obſerve the wayes and courſes, which the rebels would take.
Verſ 18. And all his ſervants paſſed on beſides him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites.] Concerning theſe Cherethites and Pelethites, ſee the note. chap. 8.18. the Gittites doubtleſſe were the garriſon ſouldiers that kept Gath, which David had taken not long before from the Philiſtines, chap. 8.1.
Verſ. 19. Then ſaid the king unto Ittai the Gittite, wherefore goest thou alſo with us? &c.] This Ittai was one of Davids principall Captains, to whom he committed the third part of his army when they went out againſt Abſalom, chap. 18.2. and had fled (as it ſeems) from the Philiſtines or ſome other of the neighbouring nations (for why elſe is he called a ſtranger and an exile,) and ſo living with David was become a Proſelite, and was at preſent the Captain of the Gittites. Now firſt, becauſe he was a ſtranger and an exile, and therefore too, not like to be ſuſpected or hurt by the new king or his followers, he thought it unequall to engage him in their diſſentions; to make him that had loſt all in his own land by ſiding in their combuſtions, to be as unſafe in Iſrael whither he had fled for ſanctuary, as he had been before in his own countrey, he judged a very unreaſonable thing: and ſecondly, becauſe he was upon ſome occaſion very lately come from Gath with his ſouldiers, he judged it too much to make them preſently march up and down with him, before they had well reſted themſelves, and therefore he diſſwades them from going with him, though he had all the reaſon in the world to ſtrengthen his party as much as he poſſibly could; yet thinking it not fitting to take them along with him for the reaſons here alledged, and being confident in Gods aſſiſtance, as is evident, Pſal. 3.6. he was not ſo eager upon any outward helps for the ſtrengthening of himſelf, as to do any thing that had but a ſhow of unwarrantableneſſe in it, and therefore he earneſtly perſwadeth him to return with his men and to abide with the new proclaimed king, that is Abſalom, Return, ſaith he, to thy place, and abide with the king, &c. hoping alſo perhaps in their troubles to make the ſame uſe of him that he did afterwards of Huſhai. verſ. 34. If thou return to the city, and ſay unto Abſalom, I will be thy ſervant, O king: as I have been thy fathers ſervant hitherto, ſo will I now alſo be thy ſervant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counſel of Ahithophel.
Verſ. 20. Mercy and truth be with thee.] As if he had ſaid, as thou haſt been mercifull, true and faithfull to me, ſo I deſire that thou mayeſt find God and man mercifull true and faithfull to thee.
Verſ. 23. The king alſo himſelf paſſed over the brook Kidron.] Which was between Jeruſalem and that mount Olivet, over which our Saviour paſſed, John 18.1. when he was in danger of the Jews, as David did now when he fled from his rebellious ſonne Abſalom.
Verſ. 24. And lo Zadok alſo, and all the Levites were with him bearing the ark of the covenant of God.] Whoſe courſe it ſeems it was at this time to attend upon the ſervice of the ark: for it is evident, that by Samuel firſt, and David afterward, there were certain courſes appointed for the prieſts attendance on the ſacred miniſtery as we may ſee, 1. Chron. 9.22. All theſe which were choſen to be porters in the gates were two hundred and twelve. Theſe were reckoned by their genealogie in their villages, whom David and Samuel the Seer did ordain in their ſet office.
And they ſet down the ark of God, &c.) That is, when they came to the place where David and his company reſolved to ſtay a while, waiting and obſerving how things would paſſe, there they ſet down the ark; but as for Abiathar who was now the high prieſt, and went alſo out of Jeruſalem together with David, it is here ſaid that he went up untill all the people had done paſſing out of the city: either becauſe he went in the forefront of the people that came along with David, and ſo ſtayed not, but led them up mount Olivet untill all the company that followed him were paſſed over the brook Kidron and were come to the place where the ark was ſet down: or elſe, becauſe he went up to that part of mount Olivet where the ark was ſet down, and there ſtayed till all the people were come thither that followed David out of the citie; and being happely in a high place, he might thence ſee the people coming, and when they left coming out of the citie.
Verſ. 25. And the king ſaid unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the citie, &c.] Though David knew that the ark was a viſible teſtimonie of Gods preſence, and could have been glad to enjoy it; yet partly, becauſe he deſired to make uſe of the prieſts who attended the ark, and without whom he might not keep the ark, to give him intelligence out of the city of all the counſels and practiſes of Abſalom againſt him, verſ. 35.36. And haſt thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the prieſts, therefore it ſhall be that what thing ſoever thou ſhalt hear out of the kings houſe, thou ſhalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the prieſts. Behold they have there with them their two ſonnes, and by them ye ſhall ſend unto me every thing that ye can hear: and partly perhaps, becauſe he was loth to bring them in danger, remembring what the prieſts had formerly ſuffered at Nob for his ſake, he was contented for the preſent to want the preſence of the ark, as having his confidence in God, and not relying altogether upon the externall ſacrament, and ſo adviſed them to carry it back again into Jeruſalem.
Verſ. 27. The king ſaid alſo unto Zadok the prieſt, Art not thou a ſeer? &c.] Some conceive that Zadok is here called a ſeer, onelyonly becauſe he was now in the courſe of his attendance upon the ark▪ as is noted above, verſ. 24. and was to enquire of the Lord for the people upon all occaſions, and to return them Gods anſwer; which cannot be, becauſe he was not the high prieſt, who onelyonly might wear the Ephod; but others conceive that he was alſo a prophet, and had that extraordinary gift of foretelling things to come, for ſuch were called Seers, 1. Sam. 9.9. or that he was a man expert in the oracles of God, and conſequently, that the drift of Davids mentioning this, may be either to imply that in this regard, he was the better able to judge whether the advice he gave were not right and fit to be followed; or elſe, to ſhew the cauſe why it was fit he ſhould return (to wit, becauſe he was in this his courſe the publick miniſter appointed to attend the ark for the ſervice of the whole Church, and withall, might there conſult with God in his behalf, and give him notice of any thing that concerned him, as occaſion ſerved: Return ſaith he, into the city in peace, and your two ſonnes with you; but yet that their two ſonnes Ahimaaz and Jonathan went not with their fathers into Jeruſalem, is evident, chap. 17.17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz ſtayed by En-rogel, for they might not be ſeen to come into the citie: and therefore it ſeems their fathers appointed them to ſtay at En-rogel.
Verſ. 30. And David went up by the aſcent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, &c.] His weeping was no doubt eſpecially becauſe he was afflicted with the remembrance of his ſinne, that had brought theſe troubles upon him, and his covering his head was ſuitable hereto; for ſo was the cuſtome of mourners, to wit, partly that their tears might not be ſeen, and partly that the ſeeing of other objects, might not divert their minds from intending their ſorrows, as being deſirous to give up themſelves wholly to bewail their mi…eries, of which cuſtome, ſee Jer. 14.3. And their nobles have ſent their little ones to the waters, they came to the pits, and found no water, they returned with the veſſels emptie: they were aſhamed, and confounded, and covered their heads: chap. 19.4. The king covered his face, and cried with a loud voice, &c. and Eſther 6.12. Haman haſted to his houſe mourning and having his head covered.
Verſ 32. When David was come to the top of the mount, where he worſhipped God, behold Huſhai the Archite came to meet him, &c.] He worſhipped the Lord on the top of the mount, becauſe thence he might beſt behold the ark the teſtimony of Gods preſente, as the prieſts were carrying it back to Jeruſalem, and be thereby ſtirred up the more affectionately, and effectually to call upon the Lord, and becauſe being gone over that mount, he was like for a time to ſee it no more; but that which is moſt obſervable is, that no ſooner had David prayed againſt the counſels of Ahithophel, O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counſel of Ahithophel into fooliſhneſſe but preſently there came to him Huſhai (who is called the Archite, from the place of his birth or habitation, to wit, Archi, a place mentioned Joſh. 16.2. which was in the borders of the children of Joſeph) by whom God had determined to defeat his counſels.
Verſ. 33. Unto whom David ſaid, If thou paſſeſt on with me, then thou ſhalt be a burden unto me.] Whereas by going back to Jeruſalem, he might there do him better ſervice, and withall be no way burdenſome to him, and indeed though David had cauſe enough to be glad to ſee his party encreaſe, yet no wonder it is, that he ſhould tell Huſhai, that ſtaying with him he would be a burden to him: firſt, becauſe he and his attendants that came with him, would help to expend their proviſion, which was yet but ſmall: and ſecondly, becauſe his care for thoſe that went with him, and his grief for the miſery they were like to ſuſtain was …ch, that the more his company encreaſed, the more his burden encreaſed too.
Verſ. 34. Say unto Abſalom, I will be thy ſervant, O king, &c.] Herein David teacheth Huſhai to diſſemble with Abſalom, and an eaſie thing it is for the beſt men in their extremities, to pitch upon ſuch counſels as are not exactly ſuch as they ought to be.