2 Samuel 14
DOYLY2 Samuel 14:9
- — the iniquity be on me, &c.] She prays that, if she represented her case wrong, the guilt might rest on herself and her family, and the king remain innocent. Bp. Patrick.
2 Samuel 14:11
- — remember the Lord thy God.] She begs him to “remember,” or “mention,” the name of God; that is, to confirm what he said by an oath. Bp. Patrick.
2 Samuel 14:13
- — Wherefore then hast thou thought &c.] Here she discovers her real intention; and, from the concessions which she had drawn in the king to make, in favour of her son, she argues the propriety and reasonableness of his making the same in favour of his own son, from the regard he had to the desires and inclinations of the people. Dr. Chandler.
2 Samuel 14:14
- For we must needs die.] She pleads for further pity for him from the consideration of our common mortality.
— neither doth God respect any person;] If this
they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder † upon the earth.
2 Samuel 14:15
- — because the people &c.] Rather, “though the people have made me afraid;” that is, they had discouraged her from the bold attempt of so approaching the king. Bp. Patrick.
2 Samuel 14:17
- — as an angel of God.] The knowledge of God’s will, possessed by the blessed inhabitants of heaven, is clear and distinct: on which account, the highest character given of human wisdom is, to be “as an angel of God, to discern good and bad.” Abp. Secker.
2 Samuel 14:19
- — none can turn &c.] No evasion whatever can conceal the truth from my lord the king. Dr. Chandler.
Before CHRIST 1027. rest. hear. Joab bringeth Absalom to Jerusalem, and into the king’s presence. Before CHRIST 1027. blessed.] as Absalom there was not a beautiful man in all Israel to praise greatly. my place.
Behold, now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
2 Samuel 14:26
- — at every year’s end] The Hebrew should rather be rendered, “at stated times;” for it is a mistake to suppose that Absalom polled his head regularly every year: the natural sense is, that he polled it at certain seasons, when it was “heavy on him,” in order to deliver himself from the weight. Houbigant.
— at two hundred shekels] In those days long hair was reckoned the greatest ornament: it was the custom to anoint it with fragrant oils of myrrh, cinnamon, and the like, and to powder it with dust of gold; so that it is not incredible that it should weigh two hundred shekels, as is here stated. Bp. Patrick. Or the meaning may be, that the value of his hair was two hundred shekels: it should be observed, that it is not his
2 Samuel 14:33
- — and the king kissed Absalom.] We should here consider the kindness of David, and his tenderness towards his son Absalom. Though the event proved that he was deceived in conceiving him to be returned to his duty, yet what he did was praiseworthy; and we ought, after his example, readily to pardon those that have offended us, especially when they appear to feel concerned for their faults. Ostervold.
Chap. XV. ver. 2. — beside the way of the gate:] The gate of the palace, probably, where the king used to sit to administer justice. Bp. Patrick.