Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Samuel · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Verſ. 2. ANd I will come upon him while he is weary and weak-handed, &c.] That is, whileſt he is weary with the great march he hath taken, that he might ſuddenly get out of thy reach; and weak-handed, as being daunted with the ſuddenneſſe of this riſing of the people againſt him.
Verſ. 4. And the ſaying pleaſed Abſalom well, and all the Elders of Iſrael.] This is noted to ſhew the villany of Abſalom, who could applaud him, that had counſelled to have his father ſlain by a ſudden ſurprize, but eſpecially as a circumſtance that did wonderfully illuſtrate the mighty power of God, in defeating the counſel of Ahithophel, that however at the firſt propounding of his advice at the counſel board, it ſeemed incomparably good, not to Abſalom onelyonly, but to all the reſt of his counſel, yet God ſo brought it about, that afterward the ſame Abſalom miſliked this counſel, which he had at firſt ſo much applauded, and preferred the counſel of Huſhai before it.
Verſ. 8. They be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a beare robbed of her whelps in the field.] That is, running up and down in the fields when ſhe hath loſt her whelps: both their known valour and their anger, being now driven from their wives, children, and eſtates, might aſſure Abſalom that it would not be ſo eaſie a matter to terrifie them, and make them flee with a ſudden aſſault, as Ahithophel had ſuggeſted.
And thy father is a man of warre, and will not lodge with the people.] That is, he is a man skilfull in martiall affairs, and knows well how to order his affairs for the prevention of all the dangers of warre, and therefore knowing that your aim will be preſently to ſurprize him, if it be poſſible he will not at this time lodge in the …amp amongſt the ſouldiers, for fear there ſhould be any traitours amongſt them that ſhould ſeek to betray him, but in ſome other place, ſo that it will not be ſo eaſie a matter to ſmite the king, and ſeize upon the king, and ſo put an end to the warre as Ahithophel hath apprehended it will be: thus theſe words of Huſhai muſt be underſtood; for he doth not ſpeak this, as if Generalls expert in warre, uſed never in thoſe times to lodge with the people; but as with reference to Davids preſent condition, to wit, that as things now ſtood with him, he was too cunning to be where he ſhould be in danger of being ſurprized by his enemies; he would hide himſelf a while till he had gotten a ſtronger party about him.
Verſ. 9. Behold, he is hid now in ſome pit, or in ſome other place, &c.] Theſe words may be underſtood either with relation to that which went before ſhewing more fully how unlikely it was, that they ſhould ceaſe upon David, though they ſhould preſently purſue him, to wit, becauſe he would not at that time lodge in the camp with his ſouldiers, but in ſome pit or cave, well known to him ſince in thoſe places he uſed to hide himſelf from Saul & ſo would eſcape, though any diſtaſter ſhould happen to his followers; or elſe with relation to that which followeth, knowing that David, as an experienced ſouldier, was like enough to lie in ambuſh with his followers in ſome cave, or ſuch ſecret place, whence, ſaith he, ſuddenly ruſhing out upon thy men that purſue them, it is like they will put them to the worſt, at leaſt at firſt, and then, ſaith he, it wil come to paſſe, when ſome of them be overthrown, that is, ſome of thoſe twelve thouſand which Ahithophel intends to lead forth againſt thy father, the report will be, that thy ſouldiers are ſlaughtered, whoſoever heareth will ſay, There is a ſlaughter among the people that follow Abſalom, and ſo the ſtouteſt of thy followers will be quelled, he whoſe heart is as the heart of a lion, ſhall utterly melt: all will be appalled, and the buſineſſe we have in hand, utterly and irrecoverably ruined.
Verſ. 10. For all Iſrael knoweth, that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.] This is added to prove what Huſhai had ſaid to Abſalom, to wit, that upon the killing of ſome of his men at the firſt aſſault, there would be a report raiſed of a great ſlaughter amongſt his men, and ſo all would be quelled and put to flight; how likely this was to be, he ſhews by this reaſon, taken from the great opinion which all the people had, of the exceeding valour of David and his men; namely, becauſe this would make men the more inclinable, both to believe and to ſpread abroad ſuch a report, and it would make the report alſo the more terrible to all that heard it.
Verſ. 11. Therefore I counſel, that all Iſrael be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beerſheba, &c.] Huſhai aimed at Davids good in this counſel, that he might have the more reſpite to ſtrengthen himſelf, and might not be ſuddenly ſurprized; yet it was ſo ordered too, that it was very like to take with Abſalom: for firſt, it was cunningly fitted to this young gallants ambitious and inſolent humour, who was like to deſire to have the leading forth of his army himſelf (whereas Ahithophel adviſed that he might go out with a party) and to be enflamed with the thoughts of having all Iſrael gathered, to follow him, from Dan, even to Beerſheba, as the ſand that is by the ſea for multitude: and ſecondly, it carried a fair ſhew of wiſdome, to make as ſure work as could be, in a buſineſſe of ſuch conſequence, namely▪ by raiſing all the ſtrength that poſſibly they could, ere they ſet upon David.
Verſ. 12. We will light upon him, as the dew falleth on the ground.] That is, as the dew when it falls, overſpreads the whole face of the earth, ſo ſhall we overſpread the whole countrey where we come, by reaſon of the multitude of our army, ſo that whereever he is, we ſhall light upon him.
Verſ. 13. If he be gotten into a citie, then ſhall all Iſrael bring ropes to that citie, and we will draw it into the river, &c.] Bigge and brave words to enflame the ſpirit of this proud prince. Now in ſpeaking of pulling down this citie, he mentions the pulling of it into the river, becauſe great and ſtrong cities ſtand uſually upon ſome river, waters being alwayes of great uſe and of great defence to any citie; or elſe by the river muſt be meant the trenches about the citie, which in the beſt fortified cities are uſually great, and full of water.
Verſ. 16. Now therefore ſend quickly, and tell David ſaying, Lodge not this night in the plain, &c.] Though Abſalom and the reſt had preferred Huſhai's counſel before Ahithophels, yet Huſhai like a prudent man, not knowing how ſuddenly their minds might alter again and embrace Ahithophels counſel, which now they had rejected, takes order to give David notice of that which had paſſed, and to adviſe him to haſt away with all the ſpeed he could, leaſt they ſhould ſuddenly go forth, as Ahithophel had adviſed, and ſurpriſe him ere he was aware of them.
Verſ. 17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz ſtayed by Enrogel, &c.] Which was in the borders of Judah and Benjamin not farre from Jeruſalem: See Joſh. 15.7. and 18.16. there they ſtayed becauſe they might not be ſeen to come into the citie, to wit, becauſe then they could not ſafely go forth thence to carry David tidings of that which paſſed in the citie, or becauſe they were ſuſpected; and a wench was ſent to tell them this counſel of Huſhai who might go to Enrogel (which ſignifies, the fullers fountain,) under a pretence of going to fetch water, or to waſh there: and ſo the intelligence was carried to David.
Verſ. 18. Nevertheleſſe a lad ſaw them, and told Abſalom.] Theſe ſonnes of the prieſts Jonathan and Ahimaaz, being miſſing at Jeruſalem, were it ſeems generally known to be of Davids party; and therefore a lad ſpying them, ſoon carried word of it to Abſalom, who as ſpeedily ſent out his ſervants to ſurprize them.
But they went both of them away quickly, and came to a mans houſe in Bahurim, which had a well &c.] Hearing or perceiving by ſome thing or other, that this lad had taken notice of them, and meant to diſcover them, they got them preſently away, and in a well did hide themſelves.
Verſ. 19. And the woman took and ſpread a covering over the wels mouth, and ſpread ground corn thereon.] That is meal corn ground in a mill.
Verſ. 21. Paſſe quickly over the water.] That is, over Jordan.
Verſ. 22. By the morning light there lacked not one of them, &c.] Having travelled all night, by the morning the whole army were got over Jordan.
Verſ. 23. And when Ahithophel ſaw that his counſel was not followed, he ſadled his aſſe, &c.] And ſo went home and hanged himſelf: to wit, firſt, becauſe his proud heart was not able to brook the undervaluing of his counſel, which had been alwayes hitherto ſo highly eſteemed; it went againſt his ambitious humour to think, that if Abſalom ſhould prevail, Huſhai ſhould have the glory of it and not he: and ſecondly and eſpecially, becauſe he was confidently perſwaded, and did indeed rightly foreſee, that this counſel of Huſhai would be the cauſe of their ruine; that David by this advantage of time, gained through Abſaloms delay, would ſo ſtrengthen himſelf, that he would put his ſonne to the worſe, when they came to fight it out in the field; and then he knew that David would be revenged on him for his treachery; and even ſo Judas having betraid Chriſt, deſpairing of mercy, hanged himſelf.
Verſ. 24. Then David came to Mahanaim.] A place of ſtrength beyond Jordan in the tribe of Gad, where Iſhboſheth ſought to ſtrengthen himſelf, when he ſtood for the kingdome, chap. 2.8. Abner the ſonne of Ner, captain of Sauls host, took Iſhboſheth Sauls ſonne, and brought him to Mahanaim.
And Abſalom paſſed over Jordan he and all the men of Iſrael with him.] Not immediately after David was paſſed over, for Abſalom ſtayed till he had gathered a mighty army of the people to him, as Huſhai had counſelled, verſ 11. (and to intimate this, it is here ſaid, that he went over, he and all the men of Iſrael with him,) and ſo by this means David had time too, to gather a great army together of thoſe that were faithfull to him, and to his crown.
Verſ. 25. Which Amaſa was a mans ſonne whoſe name was Ithra, an Iſraelite, that went in to Abigail, &c.] Here we are told who were the parents of Amaſa, that was now the Generall of Abſaloms army: to wit, that Ithra was his father, and Abigail the ſiſter of Zeruiah his mother. In the …. Chron. 2.17. this Ithra is called Jether the Iſhmaelite, And Abigail bare Amaſa, and the father of Amaſa was Jether the Iſhmaelite: it ſeems therefore, that he was either an Iſhmaelite by birth, but an Iſraelite by profeſſion and habitation, and that becauſe he became a proſelite, and ſo joyned himſelf to the people of God; or elſe rather, he was an Iſraelite by deſcent, and was onelyonly called Ithra, or Jether the Iſhmaelite, becauſe he had lived among the Iſhmaelites, as ſeverall others upon the ſame ground were called Hittites and Gittites, &c. nor can there indeed be any probable reaſon conceived, why this ſhould be ſo particularly expreſſed here, that he was an Iſraelite, but onelyonly this that it was to intimate, that however he was indeed generally called Ithra, or Jether the Iſhmaelite, yet he was indeed of the ſtock of Iſrael as others were; as for his mother Abigail (of whom Ithra begat this Amaſa, but not in lawfull marriage, for ſo much the words ſeem to import, that he went in to Abigail,) it is ſaid here, that ſhe was the daughter of Nahaſh ſiſter to Zeruiah Joabs mother: now becauſe it is evident, 1. Chron, 2.16 17. that both this Abigail the mother of Amaſa, and Zeruiah the mother of Joab, were the daughters of Jeſſe, and ſiſters of David: (ſo that Joab and Amaſa were couſin-germans, and David was uncle to them both.) either Jeſſe the father of David, Zeruiah, and Abigail, was alſo called Nahaſh; or rather, this Nahaſh was the wife of Jeſſe, the mother of Abigail.
Verſ. 27. And it came to paſſe when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the ſonne of Nahaſh of Rabbah, &c.] Three chief men are here recorded that brought in ſtore of proviſion to David, when he was in the wilderneſſe: the firſt is Shobi the ſonne of Nahaſh of Rabbah: the moſt generall and probable opinion is that this Shobi was a ſecond brother to Hanun the ſonne of Nahaſh. chap. 10.2. whom David for his fathers ſake eſtabliſhed in the kingdome after Hanuns overthrow; in thankfull remembrance whereof, he relieved David now in this his extremitie: the ſecond is, Machir the ſonne of Ammiel of Lo-debar: now conſidering that he was guardian to Mephiboſheth, and had ſecretly kept him in his houſe when David came to the crown, chap. 9.4. not knowing then how David might deal with him, becauſe he was of the houſe of Saul, it may well be, that when he came to ſee afterwards, that contrary to what he had feared, David did ſo much good to Mephiboſheth the grandchild of his deadly enemy, this made Machir highly to eſteem of David for ever after, and ſo conſequently, the readier to commiſerate him now in this time of his troubles, and to bring him relief: the third was, Barzillai the Gileadite, of whom much more is ſpoken afterwards, in the nineteenth chapter.