48443 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some [other] place,.... Some lurking place, as he was acquainted with many when he fled from Saul, and where he preserved himself from him; so that he could never take him, as he would now from Absalom, as he insinuates: but this is not all; not only by this means he would shelter himself, and be in safety;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he also [that is] valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt,.... That is, whoever should hear of Absalom's forces, or a part of them, being routed, would be intimidated, though ever so courageous, or of such a lion-like temper and disposition; and even Ahithophel himself, notwithstanding all his boasted courage, his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Therefore I counsel,.... My advice is as follows: that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that [is] by the sea for multitude: not all the inhabitants of the land, but such as are fit to bear arms, or that were soldiers, employed in military affairs, in keeping garrisons, guarding the coasts, c. even...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found,.... For such a numerous army, which would be spread abroad, could not well fail of finding him out, let him be in what lurking place he would; whereas he might lie concealed, and escape so small a number as twelve thousand men: and we will light upon him as the dew falleth upon the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Moreover, if he be gotten into a city,.... A strong fortified place, thinking to secure himself there, where he might hold out against those that were risen against him; the former part of the account supposes him in the field, where he would soon be detected, if hidden in a pit or any other place, or if he appeared openly would quickly be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said,.... That is, the elders, who before approved of the counsel of Ahithophel, 2 Samuel 17:4; the counsel of Hushai the Archite [is] better than the counsel of Ahithophel; it appeared to them most plausible, and most likely to be attended with success: for the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests,.... After he was returned from the council board, he immediately went to these priests, who he knew were in the interest of David, and to whom he was to communicate, and by them transmit, what passed at Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 15:35; thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore send quickly and tell David,.... What has been advised to on both sides: saying, lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness; which reached to Jericho; this advice he gave, because he knew not whether his counsel would be abode by, though preferred; Absalom and the elders of Israel might change their minds, and Ahithophel...
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...