719 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart,.... Neither suppose it, nor be troubled for it: to think that all the king's sons are dead: which was not to be thought, nor could any good reason be given for such a supposition for Amnon only is dead; he repeats it again with great assurance, which seems to confirm the suspicion...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But Absalom fled,.... He who promised his servants protection could not protect himself, and who no doubt fled with him; he knew what he had done was death by law, and that there was no city of refuge for such sort of murder as this, and he had no reason to hope the king would suffer so foul a crime as this to pass unpunished: and the young man...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jonadab said to the king, behold, the king's sons come,.... For as they came nearer, it was plainly discovered that they were the king's sons, seen on the side of the hill: as thy servant said, so it is; he seems to applaud himself, and exult at his penetration and foresight.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking,.... As soon as the above words were out of his mouth: that, behold, the king's sons came: into the palace, and into the apartment where the king was: and lifted up their voice and wept; not being able to tell the sorrowful news with their mouths, but declared it by gestures: and the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But Absalom fled,.... As before related, but here repeated for the sake of what follows: and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur: his mother's father, see 2 Samuel 3:3, where he might hope for protection and safety: and [David] mourned for his son every day; or "all the days" (q), i.e. of the three years Absalom was in Geshur, about...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So Absalom fled,.... This is the third time it is mentioned, and the reason of it here Abarbinel thinks is, that when he first fled to his grandfather, he used to stand openly in the court of his palace, and go with him wherever he went from place to place; but when he understood that his father mourned so for the death of Amnon, he was afraid he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And [the soul of] King David longed to go forth unto Absalom,.... In like manner it is supplied and paraphrased in the Targum, because the word rendered "longed" is feminine; though it may be used to denote the effeminateness of David's disposition and carriage on this occasion. Aben Ezra thinks the word "wife", should be supplied, and then the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 14 This chapter relates that Joab, perceiving David's inclination to bring back Absalom, employed a wise woman of Tekoah to lay before him a feigned case of hers, drawn up by Joab, whereby this point was gained from the king, that murder might be dispensed with in her case, 2 Samuel 14:1; which being applied to the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah,.... The general of David's army: perceived that the king's heart [was] towards Absalom; and longed to have him returned, though he knew not how to bring it about with credit to himself, his crime being so foul, and worthy of death. This Joab perceived by some words he now and then dropped, and by his conduct, not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Joab sent to Tekoah,.... Which Kimchi says was a city in the tribe of Asher, and others in the tribe of Benjamin, but it seems rather to be in the tribe, of Judah, 2 Chronicles 11:5; according Jerom (s), it was twelve miles from Jerusalem, though in another place (t) he says it was but nine; of this place was Amos, and some think (u) the woman...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And come to the king,.... At his palace, in the above condition and circumstances: and speak on this manner unto him; something to the following purpose he dictated to her: so Joab put the words in her mouth; the substance of what she should say; the fable she was to deliver as her own case might be framed by Joab, and which she delivered word for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king,.... Or after she had spoken to him, being introduced by Joab, as is probable; when she had saluted him with God save the king, or May the king live, or some such like expressions: she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance; to him as her king, in reverence of his majesty: and said, help, O...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said unto her, what aileth thee?.... Or what is thy case? What is the condition, and what the circumstances, that thou art in, which require help and assistance? intimating that he was ready to grant it on knowledge thereof; however, he was ready to hear what she had to say: and she answered, I [am] indeed a widow woman; of a truth a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thy handmaid had two sons,.... Two are observed, that her case might suit with Amnon and Absalom: and they two strove together in the field; they quarrelled, and fought in the field, where there were no witnesses of what they did to each other; whereby she would suggest that Ammon was killed in the field, of which there were no witnesses, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid,.... Who had sheltered her son, that slew his brother, from the avenger of blood; and not only the next akin, the avenger of blood, but even all the kindred and relations of the deceased, those of her husband's family rose up as one man, demanding justice: and they said, deliver him...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said to the woman, go to thine house,.... Go home and make thyself easy: and I will give charge concerning thee; intimating that he would inquire into her case; and if it was as she had represented it, he would give orders that she should not be disturbed, or be obliged to deliver up her son, and that he should be safe from those that...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, my lord and king,.... With much vehemence, and yet with great respect, fearing an inquisition into her case; which it would not bear, being a fable, and being very desirous of having sentence on it immediately pronounced: the iniquity [be] on me and on my father's house; let the crime be imputed to me...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said, whoever saith [ought] unto thee,.... Demanding her to deliver up her son to justice, and reproaching her for not doing it: bring him to me; give him in charge to a proper officer to be brought before me, and I shall chastise him for it: and he shall not touch thee any more; give her any further trouble, by words or deeds.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the Lord thy God,.... Who is a God gracious and merciful, and imitate him in showing mercy to the distressed; pitying their case, having compassion upon them, and relieving them, as she hoped he would commiserate her case, and provide for the safety of her son. Some think she desires not only to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the woman said, let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak [one] word unto my Lord the king,.... Having gained her point, and gotten a decree from him confirmed by an oath, that her son though he had killed his brother should not die; she proceeds to accommodate the parable, and apply it to the case of Absalom, and improve it in his favour: and...