34 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 2 This chapter relates that David, upon inquiring of the Lord, was directed to go up to Hebron, and did, where he was anointed king of Judah, 2 Samuel 2:1. And that being told of the kindness of the men of Jabeshgilead in burying Saul, he sent them thanks, and promised to remember it, and took the opportunity to let...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass after this,.... After David had heard of the death of Saul and Jonathan, and made a lamentation over them, perhaps the next day; since David and his men are only said to mourn, and weep, and fast till even, 2 Samuel 1:10; that David inquired of the Lord; of the Word of the Lord, as the Targum, by Abiathar the priest, and...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
David had paid due respect to the memory of Saul his prince and Jonathan his friend, and what he did was as much his praise as theirs; he is now considering what is to be done next. Saul is dead, now therefore David arise. I. By direction from God he went up to Hebron, and was there anointed king, ver. 1-4. II. He returned thanks to the men of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So David went up thither,.... From Ziklag to Hebron, which was sixteen miles according to Bunting (y) and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite; who were beloved by him, and who had shared with him in his troubles, and which he took with him to partake of his honour and grandeur, wealth and riches;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household,.... They and their families, and no doubt provided well for them when he was settled on the throne, who had shown themselves to be his faithful friends, closely attached to his interest, and had run the risk of their all on his account. See Matthew 19:28. And they...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the men of Judah came,.... The inhabitants of the tribe of Judah came from the several parts of it to Hebron, that is, the principal of them, the elders of each city: and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah; they did not take upon them to make him king over all Israel, but left the rest of the tribes to act for themselves;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead,.... To return them thanks for their courage and boldness in rescuing the bodies of Saul and his sons out of the hands of the Philistines, and for their civility in the burial of them: and said unto them, blessed [be] ye of the Lord; which may be considered either as a wish, the Lord bless you...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And now the Lord show kindness and truth unto you,.... Or true kindness; confer real favours, bestow upon you good and substantial blessings, blessings indeed! and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. He not only prayed to God to bless them and reward them for it, but would remember them himself, and at a proper...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant,.... And not be afraid of the Philistines, who might resent their conduct in taking away from them the bodies of Saul and his sons, whom they had hung up in triumph; and these men might fear they would bring their armies against them, and destroy them; but David bids them be of good...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host,.... This man's father, Ner, was Saul's uncle, 1 Samuel 14:50, and he was his own cousin, and being general of his army, a post he was willing to keep, might be the reasons for doing what he did, as follows: took Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and who seems to be his only son left, except what he had...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he made him king over Gilead,.... Which lay beyond Jordan, and included the tribes of Gad and Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh; these he prevailed upon to acknowledge Ishbosheth, their king, and proclaimed him king over them: and over the Ashurites: that is, those of the house or tribe of Asher, as the Targum, and indeed none else can...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ishbosheth, Saul's son, [was] forty years old when he began to reign over Israel,.... Being born the same year his father began to reign. [See comments on 1 Samuel 31:6]; and reigned two years; which some understand of these, and no more; and whereas David reigned seven years and a half over Judah, before he reigned over all Israel, it is thought...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah,.... And over them only, was seven years and six months; to which being added thirty three years he reigned over all Israel in Jerusalem, made forty years and six months; and which, for the roundness of the number, is usually called forty years. See 2 Samuel 5:4.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abner the son of Ner,.... Who was before captain of Saul's host, and now of Ishbosheth's: and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul; who seem to be not only his domestic servants, that waited upon him, or his courtiers, but his whole army by what follows: went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon; came from the city on the other side Jordan, where...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Joab the son of Zeruiah,.... A sister of David, and this her son was general of David's army: and the servants of David, went out; that is, his army went out from Hebron to Gibeon, which was twenty four miles (d) to meet that under Abner; for though he had but one tribe with him, and Ishbosheth had all the rest, yet Judah was a numerous,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abner said to Joab,.... Perceiving he made no motion towards an engagement with him, his orders from David being only to act on the defensive, and avoid as much as possible the effusion of blood: let the young men now arise, and play before us; with their swords after the manner of gladiators or duellers; that it might appear who were best...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin,.... Whom Abner had picked out of that tribe, being his own, and whom he knew to be stout and courageous men, and closely attached to him. It seems by this as if Abner's men, [which pertained to] Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, passed over the pool of Gibeon unto Joab's men; so forward were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they caught everyone his fellow by the head,.... By the hair of his head with his hand: and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; which he had in the other; so they fell down together; the twelve on each side, all the twenty four; some think only the twelve on Abner's side fell; but to me it seems that they all fell dead as one man, since...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there was a very sore battle that day,.... When the twenty four men fell together, and no decision could be made thereby, or any triumph on either side, both armies drew up in battle array, and fought very furiously: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David; the army under him had the worst of it, and were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there,.... In the battle, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel; Joab was the general of the array, Abishai was he who went into Saul's host at night, and took away his spear and cruse of water at his head, 1 Samuel 26:6; and it is for the sake of the third, Asahel, that the account is given, the story of his death...