2 Samuel 16
CoffmanABSALOM TOOK OVER JERUSALEM
The rebellion at first looked like a great success. With King David out of the city and fleeing toward the Jordan River, Absalom found it easy to occupy Jerusalem, seize the palace, have sex relations with the ten concubines of the king which David had left in charge of the palace, and to set up his government without any opposition whatever. At that point, it certainly looked like the rebellion had turned into a revolution.
Footnotes for 2 Samuel 16 1: The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 4c, p. 397. 2: John T. Willis, p. 374. 3: Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, p. 205. 4: Ibid. 5: George DeHoff’s Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 212. 6: International Critical Commentary, Samuel, p. 347. 7: Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 194. 8: Albert Barnes, Samuel, p. 105. 9: Ibid. 10: International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 348 11: John T. Willis, p. 374. 12: The Teachers’ Bible Commentary, p. 188. 13: Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, p. 205. 14: The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 309. 15: Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, p. 205. 16: International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 350. 17: Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 531. 18: John T. Willis, p. 376. 19: The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 299. 20: The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 2, p. 1132. 21: The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 309. 22: The Interpreter’s Bible, op. cit., p. 1132. 23: International Critical Commentary, p. 350. 24: Ibid., p. 150 25: Matthew Henry’s Commentary, op. cit., p. 530.
2 Samuel 16:1
MEPHIBOSHETH’S SERVANT ZIBA DECEIVED DAVID
And when David was a little past the top [of the ascent], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are 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 are faint in the wilderness may drink. 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 will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I do obeisance; let me find favor in thy sight, my lord, O king.
“One inevitable result of troubled times is that unscrupulous men use them for selfish purposes, aided by the fact that those in danger have no time for careful examination and are unable to make calm and impartial judgment, but act on first impressions.” F1 This timely gift from Ziba completely deceived David, and he promptly gave Ziba all of Mephibosheth’s property, which must have pleased Ziba immensely. He had achieved his purpose completely. Later, when David heard Mephibosheth’s account of what happened, he was ashamed of his decision. “He did not know whom to believe and offered half the possessions to each man.” F2 Understandable as David’s decision is, “He had pronounced a rash and unrighteous judgment, inflicting a great injury upon the character and interests of a devoted friend.” F3
Two asses saddled (2Sa_16:1). These had most likely been saddled for Ziba and for Mephibosheth; but the crafty Ziba left his crippled master behind and took them to David.
A skin of wine (2Sa_16:1). This was a large goat-skin vessel. F4
Today,. Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father (2Sa_16:3). That Mephibosheth actually said anything like this is extremely unlikely. Ziba, for the purpose of advancing himself, made unfounded and false accusations against his master. F5 This is the opinion, not only of current scholars, but also of those in other generations. The explanation later given by Mephibosheth sufficiently accounts for his remaining in Jerusalem, and we must suppose that Ziba’s accusations were slanderous. F6
2 Samuel 16:5
SHIMEI CURSED DAVID, THROWING STONES AT HIM
And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out thence a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Begone, begone, thou man of blood, and base fellow: Jehovah hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and Jehovah hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art [taken] in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.
When King David came to Bahurim (2Sa_16:5). This tiny highway village some distance east of Mount Olivet is the place where Phalti turned back from following Michal as she was returned to David (2Sa_3:15-16), where Shimei’s cursing of David occurred, and where the sons of the priests (Jonathan and Ahimaaz) were hidden in a well (2Sa_17:18) during their mission of carrying information to David. F7
There came out a man. of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei (2Sa_16:5). Cook identified this character as Cush the Benjamite, F8 the person who is mentioned in the superscription of Ps. 7.
Begone, you man of blood (2Sa_16:7). This expression ‘man of blood’ was applied to David by God Himself (1Ch_22:8); and here, Shimei who probably knew what the Lord said, casts the same words into David’s teeth. F9
H. P. Smith’s paraphrase of Shimei’s words here is: “Get thee gone, get thee gone, vile and cruel man! Yahweh has brought back upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul.” F10
The blood of the house of Saul (2Sa_16:8). Shimei’s sentiments were probably the same as that of many other people in the tribe of Benjamin. They no doubt blamed David for the death of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa (1Sa_31:1-6), Abner (2Sa_3:22-39), Ishbosheth (2Sa_4:5-12), and particularly, The seven descendants of Saul whom David handed over to the Gibeonites (2Sa_21:1-14). F11
2 Samuel 16:9
SHIMEI FOLLOWED DAVID’S COMPANY, CURSING HIM
David continued on his way to the fords of the Jordan River, with Shimei following him for some distance, cursing all the way. Shimei maintained some distance away from the company, throwing stones from hillsides.
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. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Because he curseth, and because Jehovah hath said unto him, Curse David; who then shall say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more [may] this Benjamite now [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for Jehovah hath bidden him. It may be that Jehovah will look on the wrong done unto me, and that Jehovah will requite me good for [his] cursing of me this day. So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hill-side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there.
Abishai the son of Zeruiah (2Sa_16:9). It is of interest that David addressed Abishai a moment later as, You sons of Zeruiah, thus classifying all three of them, Asahel, Joab and Abishai, as men of a different temperament from himself. These sons of David’s sister wanted to solve every problem violently. If one says something distasteful, go over and take his head off!
Let me go over and take off his head (2Sa_16:9). David would not allow Abishai to take vengeance on Shimei; and, perhaps, as Tatum suggested, David left vengeance to the Lord, F12 according to Deu_32:35, the prior existence of that commandment being quite evident in David’s honoring of it in this episode.
The Lord has bidden him (2Sa_16:11). It is remarkable that David took this view of Shimei’s actions; and Jamieson’s explanation of it is probably correct. David was guiltless of the crimes of which Shimei accused him, but his conscience reminded him of other flagrant sins in his lifem and he therefore regarded the cursing of Shimei as a chastisement from heaven. F13
The king. arrived … at the Jordan; and there he refreshed himself (2Sa_16:14). The first part of his flight from Absalom was concluded. David would rest and refresh himself there and wait until word arrived from Jonathan and Ahimaaz concerning the intentions of Absalom.
2 Samuel 16:15
DAVID’S FRIEND HUSHAI DECEIVES ABSALOM
And Absalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, [Long] live the king, [Long] live the king. And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom Jehovah, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide. 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.
Right here is where Absalom lost his chance to be king of Israel. Conceited though he was, he was completely taken in by Hushai’s deceitful flattery. Hushai was in Absalom’s presence upon David’s specific orders with the sole purpose of defeating the counsel of Ahithophel; and once he gained Absalom’s confidence, the rest of his assignment was easy. It must not be thought that Hushai’s lying flattery of Absalom was approved by the Lord. The deeds of sinful people are frequently used and overruled by the Providence of God in the achievement of his eternal purpose.
Hushai’s deception of Absalom was a masterpiece. “He was naturally suspect (being David’s friend), but he cleverly ingratiated himself; the (deliberate) flaw in his appeal was the suggestion that Absalom, in any sense whatever, was ‘chosen’ (2Sa_16:18) by ‘all the men of Israel.’” F14
2 Samuel 16:20
ABSALOM RAVAGED THE TEN CONCUBINES OF DAVID
Incredible as it may seem, the man who murdered his brother for the rape of a half sister was now guilty on ten counts of incest, a capital offense, because the Lord had commanded that. “Any man who lies with his father’s wife … shall be put to death” (Lev_20:11). The apostle Paul spoke of this particular sin as so detestable that it was not even named among the Gentiles (1Co_5:1). “The entire history of the East affords only one parallel to the infamous outrage by Absalom.” F15
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give your counsel what we shall do. And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong. 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. And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
We are astounded that any scholar would diminish the guilt of Absalom’s actions here with the claim that, “It was not a mere act of wantonness.” F16 However, as Matthew Henry more accurately understood it: “Absalom’s immediate compliance with the Devil’s counsel as spoken by Ahithophel entirely suited Absalom’s lewd and wicked mind. Absalom even went beyond the evil counsel of Ahithophel who had advised that shameful action so that ‘all Israel might hear of it’; but, as if that were not enough, so completely lost to all honor and virtue was Absalom that he will do it under a tent on top of the palace so that ‘all Israel will see it.’” F17
Yes, of course, Absalom’s ravishing ten of his father’s concubines was also a political action, corresponding to the ancient pagan dictum that a succeeding king was entitled to the harem of his predecessor, but that in no manner whatever changed that type of debauchery from its inherent nature as a vulgar gratification of animal lust.
Give your counsel; what shall we do (2Sa_16:20). Willis tells us that, The word your in this passage is plural, F18 indicating perhaps that Hushai himself might also have been among the counselors addressed.
Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father (2Sa_16:21). This action by Absalom forever removed any possibility of David and Absalom being reconciled. The attitude of David toward Absalom was such that, without this, in case events had gone against him, Absalom might have appealed to his father for clemency and have received it, but following this, such was an impossibility. Ahithophel alone was served by Absalom’s compliance with his advice, because it committed Absalom to prosecute his rebellion to the end. Ahithophel was shrewd enough to know that, if things became difficult for Absalom, he might have called the rebellion off and pleaded for forgiveness from David, in which case Ahithophel would surely have been executed. Now, Ahithophel had secured himself against that eventuality.
For his own selfish purposes, therefore, Ahithophel led Absalom into a crime that made a reconciliation with David impossible. F19
So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof (2Sa_16:22). This was the roof of the palace, as conspicuous a place as there was in Jerusalem. This tent was the ‘wedding tent’ common to all Semitic peoples. It is mentioned in Psa_19:5 and in Joe_2:16, and still survives in the Jewish wedding canopy. F20 This public deed was the greatest possible insult to David. F21
Of course, this public violation of David’s wives had been specifically prophesied by Nathan who gave the Word of God as saying, “I will take your wives … and give them to your neighbor; and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun” (2Sa_12:11). This blazing example of predictive prophecy and its exact fulfillment runs the radical critics crazy, so they try to get rid of it by making Nathan’s prophecy an interpolation. And what is their proof of such a preposterous proposition? Here it is: “The author of Second Samuel cannot have known that part of Nathan’s prophecy which alludes to this event (2Sa_12:11), or he would have mentioned it here. Thus, our verdict of an interpolation in that passage (2Sa_12:11) is confirmed.” F22 Of course, the omission of any reference to Nathan’s prophecy here most emphatically does not confirm anything. It was simply unnecessary to mention it, because even a fool can see the fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy here without any additional mention of it!
This claim regarding “no mention” of Nathan’s prophecy here is more than a century old, having been made by H. P. Smith back during the 1800’s, F23 but all radical critics just keep on shouting their old, outmoded so-called “proofs” no matter how often they have been exposed and discredited.’
The counsel which Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oracle of God (2Sa_16:23). Smith called this, A public panegyric (laudation, or praise) F24 of Ahithophel’s evil counsel, but it is no such thing. It is plain enough that this is not an expression of divine approval of Ahithophel’s counsel, but a statement of the way it was received in those days (2Sa_16:23), particularly a report of the way in which David and Absalom received it. Actually, Ahithophel’s counsel, from the worldly viewpoint was indeed wise, but in reality it was the counsel of Satan himself as it regarded Absalom’s outrageous incest. In that particular, Ahithophel’s cursed counsel was an oracle of the Devil, not of God. F25