Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Samuel · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Verſ. 1. ZIba the ſervant of Mephiboſheth met him with a couple of aſſes ſadled, &c.] Though David was under a cloud for the time, yet Ziba concluded that ere long this rebellion againſt him would be ſuppreſſed, and then they that ſhewed him favour in this time of his affliction, would be well rewarded for it, and this made him come now with theſe preſents to David. And thus many ſide with Chriſt, and that too in the time of perſecution and trouble, that yet have falſe hearts, and aim merely at their own advantage; though his Church be for the preſent the weakeſt, yet they hope it will prove the ſtrongeſt, and upon that ground they ſide with them; they follow Chriſt for his loaves, and fiſhes, Joh. 6.26.
Verſ. 2. And the king ſaid unto Ziba, What meanest thou by theſe?] The king might eaſily gueſſe that the proviſion which Ziba brought, was brought for his ſupply, yet to invite him to declare why he had brought them, the rather happely, becauſe he queſtioned whether it was done by his maſters command, or of his own mind, he asketh him concerning thoſe things, What meaneſt thou by theſe?
And Ziba ſaid, The aſſes be for the kings houſhold to ride on, and the bread and ſummer-fruit… for the young men to eat, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, the things which I have brought, though too mean for thy ſelf, yet might, I thought, be uſefull for thy ſervants, and ſuch as belong to thee.
Verſ. 4. Then ſaid the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained to Mephiboſheth.] It is very ſtrange that David, ſo juſt and good a king, ſhould now when the hand of God was upon him, pronounce ſuch an unjuſt ſentence as this was, againſt a poore cripple, that was not very likely to affect the crown, as Ziba had ſlandered him, nor very well able to come and plead for himſelf; yea againſt the ſonne of his dear friend Jonathan, who had alwayes been ſo loving to him, and with whom he had made a ſolemn covenant, that he would ſhew kindneſſe both to him, and to his ſeed after him, 1. Sam. 20.14.17. but for this we muſt conſider: firſt, that there were many probabilities to induce David to believe that falſe tale that Ziba had told him; as becauſe Mephiboſheth came not out to David, as other his friends did, and becauſe for all his lameneſſe, Mephiboſheth the true heir of Saul, might in theſe troublous times, hope that Sauls family might be remembred, and ſo might prove treacherous, as many others did: and ſecondly, that David did this in a paſſon, being mightily enraged to heare, that Mephiboſheth ſhould ſo requite all the kindneſſe he had ſhewn him: and thirdly, doubtleſſe God was pleaſed herein to leave David to himſelf, that ſo he might ſee by this groſſe failing, that it was not for any merits in him, but of Gods own free grace, that his enemies were afterwards ſuppreſſed, and he again ſettled in the throne.
And Ziba ſaid, I humbly beſeech thee that I may find grace in thy ſight, my Lord, O king.] That is, I acknowledge thankfully the bounty of my Lord, yet I eſteem thy favour more then the gift which thou haſt given me; I came not to accuſe Mephiboſheth, that ſo I might wreſt his eſtate from him, but I came to procure thy favour, O king, and that it is which I chiefly deſire may be continued to me.
Verſ. 5. And when king David came to Bahurim.] See the note, chap. 3.16.
Verſ. 8. The Lord hath returned upon thee all the bloud of the houſe of Saul, &c.] Shimei might in theſe words have reſpect to the death of Iſhboſheth and Abner, as pretending that David had ſecretly a hand therein: yea, and perhaps too it was before this, that thoſe ſeven ſonnes of Saul were delivered up to the Gibeonites to be hanged by them, though the ſtory of that be related after this, chap. 21. but beſides all this, it is very probable, which ſome ſay, that the enemies of David did charge him, that he had ſtirred up the Philiſtines to make that invaſion upon the land wherein Saul and his ſonnes were ſlain, and therefore Shimei here chargeth all the bloud of the houſe of Saul upon David.
And the Lord hath delivered the kingdome into the hand of Abſalom thy ſon.] As thou haſt done to others, ſo now through Gods juſt judgement, others do to thee; thou didſt riſe up againſt thy father-in-law to take the kingdome from him, and now thine own ſonne is riſen up to take the kingdome from thee: thus David lying under the croſſe, is reviled, as our Saviour was by the Jews when he was crucified for our ſinnes.
Verſ. 10. And the king ſaid, What have I to do with you, ye ſonnes of Zeruiah?] As if he had ſaid, trouble me not, I will in this take none of your counſell, nor will I have a hand in your wayes of revenge.
Verſ. 12. It may be, that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite good for his curſing this day.] This hope of Davids was grounded doubtleſſe upon the Lords uſuall dealing with his children; for as Phyſicians are wont to give cordialls after purges, to ſupport and cheriſh the ſpirits of their patients; ſo when the Lord ſuffers wicked men to abuſe his ſervants, he is wont uſually as pitying them for their ſorrows, to recompence the evil they have done them, even here in this world, with ſome ſpeciall mercy.
Verſ 13. And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hills ſide over againſt him, and curſed as he went, &c.] This is added; firſt, to ſhew the violence of Shimie's malice: ſecondly, the conſtancy of Davids patience; and thirdly, the obedience of Davids captains, who now were quiet, though Shimei ſtill ceaſed not to revile their Lord, and would not give over.
Verſ. 14. And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreſhed themſelves there.] That is, at Bahurim, verſ. 5.
Verſ. 16. Huſhai ſaid unto Abſalom, God ſave the king, &c.] This Huſhai might mean of David; and ſo alſo that he addes afterward, verſ. 18. And thus he deluded Abſalom with ambiguous ſpeeches.
Verſ. 17. And Abſalom ſaid to Huſhai, Is this thy kindneſſe to thy friend? &c.] This he ſaith to ſift and try Huſhai, as wondring at, and ſuſpecting his revolt from David, not as diſliking any ſuch ingratitude; for why then ſhould he not as well condemn himſelf for riſing up againſt his father that begat him, and that had alwayes been ſo loving, yea indulgent towards him; and indeed in his ſpeaking of this to Huſhai, one may ſee that his conſcience did inwardly accuſe him for doing as bad himſelf, as that he ſeemed to charge Huſhai with, and therefore he ſaid not, is this thy kindneſſe to my father thy friend? and why wenteſt thou not with my father? but is this thy kindneſſe to thy friend? and Why wenteſt thou not with thy friend? as being aſhamed to mention the name of father, or to utter a word that would condemn him of ſo foul a ſinne.
Verſ. 21. All Iſrael ſhall heare that thou art abhorred of thy father, then ſhall the hands of all that are with thee be ſtrong.] That is, then ſhall all thy followers be bold, and reſolutely firm for thee, when they ſhall ſee by this fact of thine that there will be no poſſibilitie of reconciliation. Ahithophel know well how eaſily parents and children are reconciled,; if it ſhould to prove betwixt David and Abſalom, what would become of him and the reſt of Abſaloms abettours: yea, if the people did but fear this, it might keep them from ſiding with Abſalom; to prevent theſe miſchiefs, therefore he ſeeks to engage Abſalom in this (as he judged) unpardonable villany.
Verſ. 22. So they ſpread Abſalom a tent upon the top of the houſe, and Abſalom went in unto his fathers concubines, &c.] And thus was that accompliſhed which God had threatned, chap. 12.11. of which ſee the note there: he that ſlew Amnon becauſe he had committed inceſt with his ſiſter Tamar, did now himſelf commit the ſame ſinne with his fathers concubines; and this he did too, not drawn thereto with the ſtrength of his luſts, but adviſedly upon politick reſpects, led thereto by the counſel of Ahithophel, which doubtleſſe was a great aggravation of his ſin.
Verſ. 23. And the counſell of Ahithophel, which he counſelled in thoſe dayes, was as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God.] That is, it was highly prized, and for the ſucceſſe counted moſt ſure and certain.