Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Samuel · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII.
Verſ. 2. ANd the king ſaid unto the people, I will ſurely go forth with you my ſelf alſo.] Thus David would intimate to the people, that he was willing to hazard himſelf in the battel together with them: but yet we may well think, that one main thing that made him ſo earneſtly to reſolve that he would go in perſon amongſt them to the battel was, that he hoped by his preſence to help forward the ſaving of Abſaloms life.
Verſ. 3. But now thou art worth ten thouſand of us, &c.] Their meaning is, that the common-wealth would receive more dammage, and the enemy more advantage in their deſignes by his death, then if ten thouſand of them were ſlain, and therefore they adde, Therefore now it is better that thou ſuccour us out of the citie, that is, Mahanaim, to wit, firſt, by praying for them: ſecondly, by ſending forth to them proviſion and new ſupplies, as occaſion ſerved: and thirdly, by receiving them into the citie, if they ſhould be put to flight.
Verſ. 5. Deal gently for my ſake with the young man, even with Abſalom.] That is, though he hath deſerved to have no favour ſhewed him, yet deal favourably with him for my ſake: Davids forces were fewer then Abſaloms, and yet truſting in the juſtneſſe of his cauſe, but eſpecially, in the mercy and faithfulneſſe of God, we ſee with what confidence David ſpeaks of the ſucceſſe of the battel, as not doubting of victory, he onelyonly gives order to his ſouldiers to deal gently with Abſalom: nor is it any wonder that David ſhould be thus tender over him, that ſought to deprive him of his kingdome and life; for firſt, he was a loving, yea and over indulgent father: ſecondly, it could not but be grievous to him, to think that he ſhould die in his ſinne: thirdly, his own conſcience gave him, that he was raiſed up as an inſtrument to puniſh his ſinne in the matter of Uriah, and ſo his ſeverity againſt himſelf might render him the more gentle towards him: and fourthly, he conſidered the folly and raſhneſſe of youth, and that when he came to more years, he might ſee his folly; and this therefore he intimates to his captains, that he might move them to pitie, for he ſaith not, deal gently with my ſonne Abſalom, but deal gently with the young man, even with Abſalom.
Verſ. 6. And the battel was in the wood of Ephraim.] That is, it was near unto the wood; the battel was certainly fought in the tribe of Manaſſeh without Jordan; whereas Ephraims portion was within Jordan: but the place was called the wood of Ephraim, either becauſe it was cloſe by Jordan, right againſt the portion of Ephraim, on the other ſide of the river; or elſe becauſe this was the place where Jephthah ſlew the Ephraimites, Judg. 12.5, 6. And the Gileadites took the paſſages of Jordan before the Ephraimites, and it was ſo, that when thoſe Ephraimites which were eſcaped, ſaid, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead ſaid unto him. Art thou an Ephraimite? if he ſaid, Nay: then ſaid they unto him, Say now Shibboleth and he ſaid, Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right, then they to…k her and ſlew him at the paſſages of Jordan: whence it ſeems it was afterwards called the wood of Ephraim.
Verſ. 8. And the wood devoured more people that day, then the ſword devoured.] That is, when they fled into the wood, there periſhed more there by the ſword of thoſe that purſued them, and by the countrey people that ſound them there ſtraggling, and fell upon them, then did in the battel by the valour of the ſervants of David, that fought there againſt them; for as I conceive, even thoſe that were ſlain in the wood by the ſouldiers of David purſuing them, are here included in the number of thoſe whom the wood devoured, and are oppoſed to thoſe onelyonly that were ſlain by the ſword in the battel: others underſtand it of ſuch as periſhed there by wild beaſts, by being hanged in the trees, by tumbling into ditches, and pits, and caves unknown. But the firſt Expoſition I think moſt probable; for it can hardly be conceived how more ſhould periſh by ſuch caſualties, then by the ſword in generall.
Verſ. 9. And his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth, &c.] The words ſeem to imply, that his head was catched in a crotch, or forked branch of the oak, and ſo his mule running away from under him, there he hung by the neck: but the moſt common opinion of Expoſitours is, that it was his long and thick hair that was entangled, and wound about the thick boughs of the oak, by which he hung when his mule was gone from him; and thus, ſay they, God teſtified againſt his pride in his hair, making thoſe goodly curled locks of his as a halter to hang him, whereof he had alwayes been ſo proud, that he would onelyonly cut them but once a yeare, and that too becauſe they grew too heavy for him.
Verſ. 11. And why didſt thou not ſmite him there to the ground, and I would have given thee ten ſhekels of ſilver, and a girdle?] As great a friend as Joab had formerly been to Abſalom, yet now that he had rebelled againſt his father, and endangered the ruine of the land by a civill warre, he reſolved to take away his life; onelyonly ſtill he had rather it ſhould have been by another, then by him or his command, and therefore he tells the ſouldier what a reward he would have given him, if he had ſlain him; thereby alſo intimating, that he would give him the reward if he would go and do it, I would have given thee, ſaith he, ten ſhekels of ſilver and a girdle, that is, a ſouldiers girdle, which was a ſigne of ſtrength and valour, and an ornament and enſigne of honour.
Verſ. 13. Otherwiſe I ſhould have wrought falſhood againſt mine own life.] This phraſe is ſomewhat difficult; that he means he ſhould wittingly have expoſed himſelf to the danger of looſing his life, by diſobeying the kings command in killing Abſalom, is very evident; but why doth he call this working falſhood against his own life? I anſwer, either firſt in relation to the ſecreſie of the fact, as if he had ſaid, That though no body had ſeen him do it, and he had endeavoured to have concealed it with lies and falſhood, yet it would at laſt have brought a ſhamefull death upon him; or elſe with reference to the vanity of his hopes, if he had done it in hope that it would not prove any way perillous to him, but rather would be rewarded, as if he had ſaid, whatever vain encouragements had emboldened me to do it, they would have proved falſe and deceitfull, I ſhould have wrought fal…hood againſt mine own life; for as when men fail of effecting what they hoped and deſired, they are ſaid in the Scripture phraſe, to bring forth falſhood: Pſal. 7.14. He hath conceived miſchief, and brought forth falſhood: ſo when men effect any thing, but fail of their hopes therein, they may be ſaid to work falſhood: and thirdly, becauſe of the care which every man is naturally bound to have of his own life; in regard whereof, he that wittingly do…h any thing to the prejudice of his life, may be truly ſaid to work falſhood againſt his own life.
Verſ. 14. And he took three darts in his hand, and thruſt them through the heart of Abſalom.] Joab knew well enough that as long as Abſalom lived, there would be great danger leaſt his party ſhould again make head and maintain their former act in making him king; and knowing withall Davids indulgence towards him, and what ſtrict charge he had given for the ſparing of him at this very time, he had juſt cauſe to fear that David would not do juſtice to him, if they ſhould carry him away alive; and therefore preferring the peace and welfare of the king and commonwealth, before the kings command, he thruſt theſe darts into him, and ſo ſlew him; yet withall perhaps he was alſo a little moved with a particular ſpleen againſt Abſalom, to wit, becauſe he had lately diſpoſed of his place of Captain of the hoſt, to Amaſa his coſin german, chap. 17.25.
Verſ. 17. And they took Abſalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of ſtones upon him.] See the note Joſh. 7.26.
Verſ. 18. Now Abſalom in his life time had taken and reared up for himſelf a pillar, which is in the kings dale.] The ſame which is called the valley of Saveh, where the king of Sodom met Abraham, when he returned with victory having diſcomfited thoſe foure kings that had pillaged Sodom, and had carried Lot away captive; Gen. 14.17, And the king of Sodom went out to meet him (after his return from the ſlaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Saueh, which is the kings dale. Where this vale was, or why it was ſo called, we find no where expreſſed, onelyonly many conjectures we find in expoſitours; as that it was the ſame which was called the valley of Jehoſhaphat, Joel 3.2. and conſequently the kings dale: or that it was ſo called from the exceeding pleaſantneſſe and fruitfulneſſe of it, as a place fit for the delight of kings; or becauſe the king of Sodom and Melchizedek king of Salem, did there meet Abraham; and indeed if it were called the kings dale, becauſe of any king of Judah or Iſrael, then that clauſe, Gen. 14.17. was not written by Moſes but inſerted afterwards by ſome other. As for the pillar which Abſalom here reared up, that the memory of his name might thereby be preſerved unto poſterity, it is very probably conceived by ſome Expoſitours, that it was ſome monument, ſuch as were the Egyptian pyramids, which he intended to be the place of his buriall, and that upon the relation of his ignoble buriall in the foregoing verſe, to wit, that he was caſt into a pit, and had a heap of ſtones thrown upon him, this is preſently inſerted concerning the goodly ſepulchral monument which he had provided for himſelf, (to ſhew how he was croſſed in his expectation.)
For he ſaid, I have no ſonne to keep my name in remembrance.) Hereby it appears, that God had before this time deprived him of his three ſonnes, mentioned chap. 14.27. not judging him worthy of ſonnes, that would not ſtoop to honour his own father, and that had murthered his own brother: and withall, hereby God provided for the more peaceable advancing of Solomon to the throne, after Davids deceaſe.
Verſ. 22. Then ſaid Ahimaaz the ſon of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howſoever, let me, I pray thee, alſo run after Cuſhi.] He preſſed again for libertie to go after Cuſhi, as hoping to out-run him, and having be-thought himſelf that he might acquaint David with the good tidings of the victory, though he ſuppreſſed that particular concerning the death of Abſalom.
Verſ. 23. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and over-ran Cuſhi.] Whereas Cuſhi ran the neareſt way which was hilly and mountainous, Ahimaaz choſe to go a further way, by the way of the plain, and ſo by the advantage of the way, he out-ran Cuſhi, and came firſt to David.
Verſ. 24. And David ſate between the two gates, &c.] That is, at the entring in of the citie Mahanaim, waiting to heare tidings from the army that was gone forth againſt Abſalom. It ſeems that the gates of cities were in thoſe times built (as they are now) with high towers, and ſo ſtronger and thicker then other parts of the wall, and therefore had two gates, one inward toward the citie, and another outward toward the ſuburbs, and between theſe two gates it was that David now ſate.
Verſ. 25. And the king ſaid, If he be alone there is tidings in his mouth.] That is, if there were many coming together, we might well fear they fled from the face of the enemy; but if there be but one alone, doubtleſſe it is a meſſenger that is ſent with ſome tidings.
Verſ. 27. And the king ſaid He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.] David inferres, that if it were Ahimaaz that was coming he doubtleſſe brought good tidings, becauſe he was a good man; whereof there may be two reaſons conceived: Firſt, that being a good man, he was not likely to be the firſt in flying away; and therefore it was not likely he fled from the enemy, but rather he came with tid…ngs: and ſecondly, that being a good man, he was the more likely to be deſirous to bring good tidings to the king, or had uſed to bring him good tidings.
Verſ. 33. And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate.] See the note above, verſ. 5. partly as apprehending the miſery of Abſaloms dying in his ſinne, and partly as remembring that his ſinne in the matter of Uriah, was now puniſhed in the death of this his ungracious ſonne, he felt his paſſions breaking out ſo violently, that not being able to go home to his own houſe, and being withall doubtles aſhamed that his paſſion ſhould be ſeen, he was glad to run up to the chamber over the gate, where he was ſitting when he heard the tidings, there in ſecret to poure out his ſorrow; nor was he able to ſuppreſſe his paſſions …o long▪ but as he went up, as it follows in the next words, he brake out into a bitter lamentation, O my ſonne Abſalom, my ſonne, my ſonne Abſalom, would God I had died for thee, &c. Becauſe he feared his everlaſting perdition, he wiſhed that he had died rather then Abſalom.