2 Samuel 15

Absalom having stolen the hearts of the people by subtitle practises, ver.2. &c. goeth under pretence of a vow, with his fathers leave, to Hebron; but maketh there, with Achitophels aid, a great conspiracy, aspiring to be King, 7. David hearing thereof, flyeth in haste with all his men out of Jerusalem, leaving there only some of his concubines, 13.

1. And it came to pass after that, that Absalom caused to be prepared for him a charet and horse; and fifty men running along before his face, [which were his footmen, life-guard, pages, lackeys, &c, as 1 Kings 1:5. See also 1 Sam.8.11. Thus Absalom assayed to put himself in a new kind of way, to make the people believe, that he carried himself as the heir apparent to the crown: Ammon the first born being dead, and perhaps Chilead, the second son likewise, or at least of no account. It’s possible also, that he intended hereby to prevent Solomon, of whose succession (it may be) he had understood Gods counsel, and his fathers intent and purpose.]

2. Also Absalom got him up early in the morning, and stood beside the way of the gate: [Of the Kings court] and it came to pass, that Absalom called all (or every) man, that had a controversy, to come to the King for judgement, unto him, and said; of what city art thou? when he then said; thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel; [i.e. of this or that city, lying in this or that tribe.]

3. Then said Absalom unto him; behold, thy matters are good and right, [Or consinder thy matters, they are good and right][ but thou hast no hearer (deputed) of the King. [i.e. there is no man deputed or appointed of the King, to examine thy cause duely, and to help thee to right.]

4. Moreover Absalom said; O that they would appoint me Judge in the Land, [Heb. who will make me, etc. A manner of wishing. Compare Judg.9.on v.29.] that all (or every) man, which hath a suit or cause might come unto me, that I might do him justice.

5. Also it came to pass, when any man drew near, to bow himself before him, then he reached forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

6. And according to that manner [Hebr. According to this word, or according to this thing, i.e. thus on this manner] did Absalom to all Jerusalem, that came to the King for Judgement: thus Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. [i.e. he won and drew to him the affection of the Israelites. Compare Gen.31.on vers.20.]

7. Now it came to pass at the end of fourty years, [How or from whence these fourty years are to be counted, is very uncertain, seeing the Holy Scripture maketh no mention of it, and divers opinions there are touching the same] that Absalom said unto the King, I pray thee let me go my ways, and pay my vow, [he covereth his mischievous conspiracy with a shew of holiness, to deceive his Father, and to hide his ambition from the common people] which I have vowed unto the LORD, at Hebron. [a place very well known in Israel by reason of many remarkeable things. See Gen.32.2. above chap.2.4. and 5.1, &c.]

8. For thy servant [i.e. I] hath vowed a vow, when I dwelt at Geshur [see above chap.13.37, 38.] in Syria; saying; If the LORD shall surely bring me again, [Heb. bringing again shall bring again] then I will serve the Lord. [i.e. perform a special service unto God, in offerings, and praising God for his mercy shewed to me, as my vow importeth.]

9. Then said the King unto him; go in peace; so Absalom gat him up, and went to Hebron.

10. Now Absalom had sent forth spies [To prepare and encourage the people that were enclined to Absalom, v.2. to fall off from David, and to follow Absalom] to say: when ye shall hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is King [or reigneth] at Hebron.

11. And there went with Absalom out of Jerusalem two hundred men, being invited [To be present at Absaloms feast of thanksgiving, without being in the least privy to his conspiracy, as followeth] but going in their simplicity; for they knew not (of) any thing.

12. Absalom sent also Achitophel the Gilmite, David’s counsellor out of his city, (to fetch him) out of Cilo, [A city in Juda, Jos.15.51.] when he offered offering: And the combination grew strong, and the people went, and increased with Absalom.

13. There came also a messenger unto David, saying; The heart of every one in Israel (followeth) after Absalom.

14. Then David said unto all his servants, that were with him at Jerusalem; get ye up, and let us flee, for there will be no escaping for us from Absaloms face: [If we should tarry long here, he will surprise us? we shall not be able to escape his hand] make hast to depart, left peradventure he make hast and overtake us, and bring [Heb. bring on] evil upon us, and smite this city [i.e. the inhabitants of Jerusalem] with the edge [Heb. at the mouth] of the sword.

15. Then the Kings servants said unto the King; according to all that my Lord the King shall choose, behold, (here) thy servants are. [i.e. we re ready and willing to following thee, and to do what pleaseth thee, what thou commandest. Compare below chap.19.38. and Psa.25 on v.12. See also Gen.22.on ver.3.]

16. And the King went forth with all his house, on foot: [Heb. upon, or with his feet; and so in the following verse. Compare v.30. Oth. at his feet, i.e. after him] but the King left ten concubines [Heb. ten women, concubines] to keep his house.

17. Now when the King was gone forth with all the people on foot, then they tarried in a remote place (that was) far off [Heb. in an house (i.e. place) of remoteness. The meaning is, when they were gone a good way of from the city, then they stood still to place themselves in order, and so to march over the brook Kindron.]

18. And all his servants [i.e. Officers and Courtiers as often] marched on beside him, also all the Crechi, and all the Plethi [his life guard. See 1 King 1 on v.38.] and all the Gethites, six hundred men, which were come on foot [Heb. upon his feet. The meaning is, that every one of them came on foot] from Gath, [see above chap.6.on v.10 and chap 8.on v.1] marched on before the Kings face.

19. Then the King said unto Ithai the Gethite [The chief Commander of the six hundred men that were come from Gath unto David, who kept Garrison (as some conceive) in the city of Gath, which David had taken from the Philistines. See above chap.8.on v.1. This man was also used by David as a commander, below chap.18. 2.] why shouldest thou also go with us? return, and abide with the King; [viz. Absalom, who was now held by the people to be their King] for thou art a stranger, [so that Absalom can have no cause to subject thee, and consequently thou shalt, with Absaloms leave, have free liberty to return to Gath; whereas thou, abiding with me, wilt hazard thine estate and the people that are with thee] and also thou shalt return to thy place.

20. Thou camest yesterday, [i.e. lately] and should I lead thee about to day to go with us? seeing I must now go, whither I may go: return, and bring back thy brethren; kindness be with thee. [i.e. the like kindness and faithfulness happen to thee, as thou hast shewed to me. Oth. reward thy brethren, that are with thee, (with) kindness and faithfulness.]

21. But Ithai answered the King, and said: (as true as) the LORD liveth, and my Lord the king liveth; surely in the place, where my Lord the King shall be, be it for death, be it for life, there also shall thy servant be.

22. Then said David unto Ithai; come then and pass over: [Over or thorough the brook Kidron, as is related in the sequel] So Ithai, the Gethite, passed over, and all his men, and all the children that were with him.

23. And all the land [i.e. all the inhabitants of the land, lying about Jerusalem] wept with a loud [Hebr. Great] voice when all the people passed over: [or passed thorough; as some conceived that there were shallow places, where they might pass thorough on foot] the King also passed over the brook Kidron, [running east-ward by Jerusalem, along the foot of the mount of Olives. Our Saviour Jesus Christ himself went also over this brook, when he was to be apprehended and to suffer for us, Jos.18.1.] and all the people passed over straight toward the way [Heb. toward the face of the way] of the wilderness. [Lying between Jerusalem and the Jordan, otherwise also called the plain field. See below v.28. and ch.16.2. and 17.16. Item above chap.29.]

24. And so, Zadok [See above chap.8.on v.17.] was there also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the Ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the Ark, and Abjathar [see of this man, 1 Sam.22 20 &c. and 30.7, 8. below chap 28.25. 1 Kings 1:7. and 2.26, 27.] went up, [it may be, to spy from the top of the mount of Olives, when all the people that followed David out of Jerusalem, were passed over the brook Kidron and that there were none more to be expected. Compare Jos.3.17.] until all the people of the city had made an end of passing over.

25. Then the King said unto Zadok; bring back the Ark of God into the carry if I shall find grace in the eyes of the Lord, then he will bring me back again, and will let me see it, together with his habitation. [Oth. with her habitation, namely, the Arks. Understand the Tabernacle, wherein the Ark was placed at that time, and consequently where God in a special manner was present with his grace. See above chap.6.17.]

26. But if he shall say thus, I have no delight in thee, behold, (there) am I, [See Gen.22.on v.3.] let him do so as it is good in his eyes. [i.e. so as it shall please, or seem good unto him. As if he had said; if on the contrary it please him to chastise me further, I am ready to submit to his will.]

27. Moreover the King said unto Zadok the Priest; art not thou a Seer? [i.e. a Teacher, that must look to the people? Oth. thou art the Seer, i.e. as a Prophet: (See 1 Sam.9.9.) because he enquired of the Lord by Urim and Thummim, and received answer from him: it may be also that he was a Prophet besides. Some take it thus: seest thou not, viz. how affairs go, and what is needful] return into the city in peace: also both your sons, Ahimaaz, thy son, and Jonathan, Abjathars son.

28. Behold, I will tarry in the plain fields of the wilderness, until there come a word [i.e. some intelligence of what happeneth at Jerusalem, or is attempted by Absalom] from you, to be certified to me.

29. So Zadok and Abjathar brought the Ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

30. And David went up to the ascent of the Olives [That stood in great quantities upon the mount of Olives] going up and weeping, and his head was wound about, and he himself went bare-foot, [these were tokens of mourning, shame and humiliation. See also of covering the head, below chap.19.4. Esih.6. 12. Jer.14.3, 4. and chap.31.15. and of going bare-foot, or unshod, Isa.20.2, 3, 4. Jer.2.25.] and all the people that was him, had every man his head covered, and went up, going up and weeping.

31. Then they told David, saying; [Oth. then David declared, saying] Achitophel is among those, that have conspired with Absalom: therefore David said; O Lord I pray turn the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness [Heb. make foolish, besot. Compare below chap.16. 23.]

32. And it came to pass, when David came to the top, [viz. of the mount of Olives, from whence he might behold the city, and the habitation of the Lord, wherein the Ark (a type of the Messiah Jesus Christ) abode, and whither Believers of the Old Testament, being absent or banishment, were wont to direct their faces in praying, in token that they grounded their prayers on the merits of the Messiah. Compare 1 Kings 8:44, 48. Dan.6.10.] that he worshipped God there, behold, then Husai, the Archite, met him, having his coat rent, and Earth upon his head. [see chap.1.on v.2.]

33. And David said unto him, if thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me. [Heb. be a burden upon me.]

34. But if thou return into the city, and say unto Absalom; thy servant, [An Abrupt speech, as we now also use to say, for I am thy servant, I will be thy servant] I will be the Kings: I have been indeed thy Fathers servant heretofore, [Heb. from that time] but now I will be thy servant: [oth. O king: I will be thy servant, as I have been formerly thy fathers, so will I now be thy servant] then thou shalt defeat for me the counsel of Achitophel.

35. And are not there with thee Zadok and Abjathar the Priests? [i.e. they are surely there. Of such kind of questions see Judg.4.on v.6. and elsewhere often] So therefore it shall come to pass, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the Kings house, thou shalt make known to Zadok and Abjathar the Priests.

36. Behold, both their sons are there with them, Ahimaaz Zadocks (son), and Jonathan Abjuthars (son): so by their hand [i.e. ministry] ye shall send to me what thing soever ye shall hear.

37. So Husai David’s friend, came into the city; And Absalom came to Jerusalem.