Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Samuel 16

Introduction

1  Ziba, by presents and false suggestions, obtains his master's inheritance.
5  At Bahurim Shimei curse David.
9  David with patience abstains, and restrains others, from revenge.
15  Hushai insinuates himself into Absalom's counsel.
20  Ahithophel's counsel.
Verse 1

And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
little past
15:30,32
Ziba
9:2,9-12
with a couple
17:27-29, 19:32, 1 Samuel 17:17,18, 25:18, 1 Chronicles 12:40, Proverbs 18:16, 29:4,5
summer
These were probably pumpkins, cucumbers, or water-melons; the two latter being extensively used in the East to refresh travellers in the burning heat of the summer; and probably, as Mr. Harmer supposes, called summer fruits on this very account.
Jeremiah 40:10,12, Amos 8:1, Micah 7:1
a bottle
1 Samuel 10:3, 16:20
Verse 2

And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
What meanest
Genesis 21:29, 33:8, Ezekiel 37:18; The asses. This is the eastern mode of speaking when presenting any thing to a great man: "This is for the slaves of the servants of your majesty;" when at the same time the presents are intended for the sovereign himself, and it is so understood.; 15:1, 19:26, Judges 5:10, 10:4
for the young
1 Samuel 25:27
that such
15:23, 17:29, Judges 8:4,5, 1 Samuel 14:28, Proverbs 31:6,7
Verse 3

And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
where is
9:9,10, Psalms 88:18, Micah 7:5
Today
19:24-30, Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 19:18,19, Psalms 15:3, 101:5, Proverbs 1:19, 21:28, 1 Timothy 6:9,10, Jude 1:11
Verse 4

Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
Behold
14:10,11, Exodus 23:8, Deuteronomy 19:15, Proverbs 18:13,17, 19:2
I humbly beseech thee
Heb. I do obeisance.
14:4,22
Verse 5

And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
Bahurim
This place is supposed to be the same as Almon, (Jos 21:18,) and Almeth, (1 Ch 6:60,) a city of Benjamin, north of Jerusalem, and apparently not far from Olivet.
14, 3:16, 17:18
whose name
19:16-18, 1 Kings 2:8,9,36-44,45,46
he came, etc
or, he still came forth and cursed. cursed.
Exodus 22:28, 1 Samuel 17:43, Psalms 69:26, 109:16-19,28, Proverbs 26:2, Ecclesiastes 10:20, Isaiah 8:21, Matthew 5:11,12
Verse 7

And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
bloody man
Heb. man of blood.
3:37, 11:15-17, 12:9, Psalms 5:6, 51:14
man of Belial
Deuteronomy 13:13, 1 Samuel 2:12, 25:17, 1 Kings 21:10,13
Verse 8

The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
returned
Judges 9:24,56,57, 1 Kings 2:32,33, Acts 28:4,5, Revelation 16:6
the blood
1:16, 3:28,29, 4:8-12, Psalms 3:2, 4:2
thou, etc
or, thee in thy evil.
Verse 9

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
Abishai
3:30, 1 Samuel 26:6-8
dead dog
3:8, 9:8, 1 Samuel 24:14
curse
Exodus 22:28, Acts 23:5, 1 Peter 2:17
let me go
1 Samuel 26:6-11, Job 31:30,31, Jeremiah 40:13-16
Verse 10

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
What have
3:39, 19:22, 1 Kings 2:5, Matthew 16:23, Luke 9:54-56, 1 Peter 2:23
so let him
Genesis 50:20, 1 Kings 22:21-23, 2 Kings 18:25, Lamentations 3:38,39, John 18:11
Who shall
Job 9:12, Ecclesiastes 8:4, Daniel 4:35, Romans 9:20
Verse 11

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
Behold
12:11,12
came forth
7:2, Genesis 15:4
seeketh
17:1-4, 2 Kings 19:37, 2 Chronicles 32:21, Matthew 10:21
the Lord
Isaiah 10:5-7, Ezekiel 14:9, 20:25
Verse 12

It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
the Lord
Genesis 29:32,33, Exodus 2:24,25, 3:7,8, 1 Samuel 1:11, Psalms 25:18
affliction
or, tears. Heb. eye. requite.
Deuteronomy 23:5, Isaiah 27:7, Matthew 5:11,12, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 4:17, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, Hebrews 12:10, 1 Peter 4:12-19
Verse 13

And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
cursed
5,6
cast dust
Heb. dusted him with dust.
Acts 23:23; It was an ancient custom, in those warm and arid countries, to lay the dust before a person of distinction, by sprinkling the ground with water. Dr. Pococke and the consul were treated with this respect when they entered Cairo. The same custom is alluded to in the well-known fable of Phædrus, in which a slave is represented going before Augustus and officiously laying the dust. To throw dust in the air while a person was passing was therefore an act of great disrespect; to do so before a sovereign prince, an indecent outrage. But it is probable that Shimei meant more than disrespect and outrage to this afflicted king. Sir John Chardin informs us, that in the East, in general, those who demand justice against a criminal throw dust upon him, signifying that he ought to be put in the grave: and hence the common imprecation among the Turks and Persians, "Be covered with earth," or, "Earth be upon thy head."
Verse 14

And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
there
Verse 15

And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.
Absalom
15:37
Verse 16

And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.
God save the king
Heb. let the king live.
1 Samuel 10:24, 1 Kings 1:25,34, 2 Kings 11:12, Daniel 2:4, 5:10, 6:6,21, Matthew 21:9
Verse 17

And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?
Is this thy
Deuteronomy 32:6
why wentest
15:32-37, 19:25, Proverbs 17:17, 18:24
Verse 18

And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.
5:1-3, 1 Samuel 16:13
Verse 19

And again, whom should I serve? 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.
should I not serve
15:34, 1 Samuel 28:2, 29:8, Psalms 55:21, Galatians 2:13
Verse 20

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.
Give counsel
Exodus 1:10, Psalms 2:2, 37:12,13, Proverbs 21:30, Isaiah 8:10, 29:15, Matthew 27:1, Acts 4:23-28
Verse 21

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.
Go in
Genesis 6:4, 38:16
unto thy
12:11, 15:16, 20:3, Genesis 35:22, Leviticus 18:8, 20:11, 1 Kings 2:17,22, 1 Corinthians 5:1
abhorred
Genesis 34:30, 1 Samuel 13:4
thy father
Genesis 49:3,4
then shall
1 Samuel 27:12
the hands
2:7, Zechariah 8:13
Verse 22

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
the top
11:2
went in
12:11,12, 15:16, 20:3, Numbers 25:6, Isaiah 3:9, Jeremiah 3:3, 8:12, Ezekiel 24:7, Philippians 3:19
Verse 23

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
as if
Numbers 27:21, 1 Samuel 30:8, Psalms 28:2, 1 Peter 4:11
oracle of God
Heb. word of God.
Psalms 19:7
so was
The first counsel of this sagacious but wicked man to Absalom was more like an oracle of Satan, both for subtlety and atrocity. He advised the shameless measure just detailed, in order to establish Absalom, and to preclude the possibility of a reconciliation with David. The wives of a conquered king were always the property of the conqueror; and in possessing these he appeared to possess the right to the kingdom.
all the counsel
17:14,23, Job 5:12, 28:28, Jeremiah 4:22, 8:9, Matthew 11:25, Luke 16:8, Romans 1:22, 1 Corinthians 3:19,20, James 3:13-18
both
15:12, Ecclesiastes 10:1

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