48443 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king, and all the people that [were] with him, came weary,.... With their journey, and through grief and trouble at what they met with: and refreshed themselves there: that is, at Bahurim, with food and rest; which revived their spirits, and put as it were new life and soul into them, as the word used signifies. Josephus (y) says, when...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem,.... At the same time that David and his people came to Bahurim; which, as Josephus (z) says, was a place near to Jerusalem; and, according to Bunting (a), was little more than a mile from it; though elsewhere (b) he makes it three miles; so that had not David made the hasty...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass that when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom,.... Who came into Jerusalem at the same time that Absalom did, and who, no doubt, took the first opportunity to make his court to him, 2 Samuel 15:37; that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king; or "may the king live" (c), live long,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Absalom said to Hushai, [is] this thy kindness to thy friend?.... Meaning to David; though he would not mention his name, nor his title, nor even the relation of a father he stood in to him, only speaks of him as Hushai's friend: Hushai had professed great friendship to David, and David had been a friend to Hushai, had raised him to great...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Hushai said to Absalom,.... In answer to his questions: nay, but whom the Lord, and his people, and all the men of Israel choose: here again he speaks very ambiguously; for this circumlocution, or descriptive character of the king of Israel, better agrees with David, whom he might bear in mind, than with Absalom; for the Lord had chosen David,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And again, whom should I serve?.... Or "secondly" (e), a second reason is here given for serving Absalom: the first was the choice of God and the people, the second follows: [should I] not [serve] in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence: he signifies, that as the kingdom was not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel,.... Having two such able counsellors as he and Hushai, he directs his speech to Ahithophel, as being his first and chief counsellor: give counsel among you what we shall do; he orders them to form a counsel, consult among themselves what was proper to be now done at Jerusalem, whether it was right to stay here or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom,.... Either immediately of himself, without consulting with others; or after a consultation had been held between them, he as the president of it, and their mouth, gave the following advice; though the former seems most correct: go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left, to keep the house; and lie with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house,.... On the top of his father's palace; this, as houses in Jerusalem and Judea were, was built flat, Deuteronomy 22:8; and it was on the very spot from whence David had a sight of Bathsheba, and conceived an impure lust after her. The Targum renders it, a canopy; which Kimchi describes as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he had counselled in those days,.... Both in the days of David, and in the days of Absalom, before and since the rebellion: [was] as if a man had inquired of the oracle of God; such an opinion was entertained of it, so well satisfied were they with it, and as confident of success in taking it, as if the Lord...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 17 This chapter relates the advice Ahithophel gave to march out speedily with a number of men in pursuit of David, which at first seemed agreeable, 2 Samuel 17:1; but Hushai's opinion being asked, and he giving counsel to raise a larger army, which required time, and was taken to, hereby the counsel of Ahithophel was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Moreover, Ahithophel said unto Absalom,.... Either at the same time, or quickly after he had given the foregoing advice: let me now choose out twelve thousand men: out of those that were with Absalom, which shows their number to be large; and twelve thousand are pitched upon with respect to the twelve tribes of Israel, a thousand from every tribe;...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The contest between David and Absalom is now hasting towards a crisis. It must be determined by the sword, and preparation is made accordingly in this chapter. I. Absalom calls a council of war, in which Ahithophel urges despatch (ver. 1-4), but Hushai recommends deliberation (ver. 5-13); and Hushai's counsel is agreed to (ver. 14), for vexation...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will come upon him while he [is] weary,.... With travelling, and with grief, and when endeavouring to get some rest by sleep, and so surprise him unawares, when not on his guard, and in no posture of defence: and weak handed; while the number of men with him is small, and before the people from different parts can come to his assistance: and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will bring back all the people unto thee,.... Meaning not the people only that were with David, that he would make them prisoners, and bring them with him; for he before proposed to let them make their escape; but to reduce all Israel to the obedience of Absalom at once, by executing this scheme which he had formed: the man whom thou seekest...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all elders of Israel. That were of the privy council; for it was a well contrived scheme to surprise David his men by night, in the condition they were in; nothing like seizing an opportunity, and making quick dispatch in executing a villainous design; only it is strange that Absalom could so easily come...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Absalom, call now Hushai the Archite also,.... For it seems he was not at the council board at this time; whether he was as yet admitted to it is not certain: there is something very remarkable in the providence of God, to incline Absalom to have the opinion of Hushai upon this point, when the counsel of Ahithophel was so universally...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when Hushai was come to Absalom,.... Into the council chamber, very probably: Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner; and then related the counsel he had given as before: shall we do [after] his saying? is it right to proceed on this scheme, and carry it into execution? if not, speak thou; thy mind freely,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Hushai said to Absalom,.... Having leave to give his opinion freely: the counsel that Ahithophel hath given [is] not good at this time; he owns that Ahithophel was a good counsellor, and that the counsel he gave was for the most part, if not always, good, but what he gave at this time was not so; the wisest of men may sometimes be mistaken....
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For (said Hushai) thou knowest thy father and his men, that they [be] mighty men,.... Men of courage and valour, and not such weak-handed and weak-hearted men, and so easily intimidated, as Ahithophel suggests: and they [be] chafed in their minds; or "bitter in soul" (f); not merely filled with trouble and anguish, and depressed in their spirits,...