719 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel,.... Who were the sons of the priests; these did not go into the city of Jerusalem with their parents, when they were sent back by David, 2 Samuel 15:27; but stayed by their direction at this place, which was near Jerusalem, and is called in the Targum the fuller's fountain, where they washed their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Nevertheless, a lad saw them, and told Absalom,.... Saw them conversing with the girl, and departing for David's army; according to Josephus (o), they were some horsemen that saw them about two furlongs or a quarter mile from Jerusalem, and acquainted Absalom with it: but they went both of them away quickly; made all the haste they could with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth,.... This woman, very probably, was the man's wife of the house, as Abarbinel notes; who took a cloth, and spread it over the well's mouth, that it could not be seen or known that there was a well there: and spread ground corn thereon: just taken out of the mill, before it was sifted,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house,.... Who were sent after then, had intelligence which way they took, and into what house they turned: they said, where [are] Ahimaaz and Jonathan? calling them by their names, being persons well known, and as to them, so to the woman of the house, as they supposed: and the woman said unto...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass after they were departed,.... The servants of Absalom: that they came up out of the well; the sons of the priests, being informed by the woman that they were gone; Josephus (s) says they were drawn up by the woman with a rope: and went and told King David; who was now in the plain of the wilderness, perhaps near Jericho, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with him, and passed over Jordan,.... Taking the advice of Hushai: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan; they travelled all night, and before it was morning they had all passed the river in boats, or through the fords, and not one was lost in the passage,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed,.... But that of Hushai: he saddled [his] ass; or ordered it to be saddled: and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city; which was Giloh in the tribe of Judah, 2 Samuel 15:12; and put his household in order; made his will, and disposed of his estates, see Isaiah 38:1; or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then David came to Mahanaim,.... A city on the other side Jordan in the tribe of Gad, Joshua 13:26, famous for its being the place where the angels of God met Jacob, Genesis 32:1; and was for some time the seat of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, 2 Samuel 2:8; and Absalom passed over Jordan, he, and all the men of Israel with him; not directly after...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab,.... Who was along with David: which Amasa [was] a man's son whose name [was] Ithra, an Israelite; he is called Jether the Ishmaelite, 1 Chronicles 2:17; either because he was an Ishmaelite by birth, and being proselyted to the Jewish religion, was called an Israelite; or rather he was an...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. Which belonged to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; here the Israelites that were with Absalom encamped, in order to give battle to David and his men.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim,.... When he first came thither, 2 Samuel 17:24; that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon: who was either the son, or rather the brother of Hanun king of the Ammonites, that used David's ambassadors in so shameful a manner, whom David overcame and deposed, and set up this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Brought beds,.... For David and his men, who, fleeing from Jerusalem in haste, could bring none with them, and therefore were ill provided while in the plains of the wilderness; the Septuagint version says there were ten of them, and that they were of tapestry, wrought on both sides, and such the ancients used (z), see Proverbs 7:16; and so ten...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And honey and butter,.... Honey was much in use with the ancients; Homer (b) speaks of it as a part of the provisions at a feast, and as food with which persons were nourished and brought up; and the ancient Scythians lived on milk and honey (c); and this and butter were pretty much the food of the people in Judea; see Isaiah 7:15; and sheep; with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 18 In this chapter is an account of David's review of his army, preparing it for battle with Absalom, and those with him, 2 Samuel 18:1; and of the defeat and flight of the rebels, 2 Samuel 18:6; and of the death of Absalom, and the manner of it, and of his burial, 2 Samuel 18:9; and of the news of it brought to David...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David numbered the people that [were] with him,.... Which Josephus says (d) were four thousand; but one would think there should be more by what follows: and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them; he divided his army into companies, which consisted some of a thousand and others of a hundred; over each of which he set...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab,.... Very likely that which made the centre of the army, since Joab was the general of the army; though this distribution was made when David thought to have headed the army himself, and so made with respect to that: and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But the people answered, thou shalt not go forth,.... They were as resolute as David: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; to pursue after us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; they will make no account of the victory; but if they could slay David, or get him into their hands, it would be more to them than if the whole...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king said unto them, what seemeth you best I will do,.... Which was an instance of great condescension in him; and it was his wisdom and prudence to yield to them at such a time as this, and especially as their sentiments were founded on affection and loyalty to him: and the king stood by the gate side; of the city of Mahanaim: and all the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king commanded Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai,.... His three generals, to whom he had committed his army divided into three parts: saying, [deal] gently for my sake with the young man, [even] with Absalom; he does not call him his son, being in rebellion against him, but the young man, who was young, and rash, and foolish, and so to be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So the people went out into the field against Israel,.... Josephus (e) calls it a great field, with a wood behind it: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; or near it (f) rather; not in a wood in the tribe of Ephraim, which lay on this side Jordan; whereas this battle was fought on the other side Jordan, in the land of Gilead, not far from...