2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16:1-4

In this chapter, 1. David is cheated by Ziba, vers. 1—4. 2. He is varied by Shimei. 3. He bears it with patience, vers. 5—14. 4. Abfalom enters Jerusalem, vers. 14. 5. He is cheated by Hufhai, vers. 15—19. 6. He follows Ahithophel’s advice, and gets in unto his father’s concubines, vers. 20—23.

Chap. 5.

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 ashes faddled, and upon them ’two hundred leaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of railings, and an hundred of summer-fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2. And the king said unto Ziba, What meaneth thou by these? And Ziba said, ‘The ashes 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. 3. And the king said, And where it thy matter’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideeth at Jerusalem: for ‘he said, To-day shall the house of Israel refuse me the kingdom of my father. 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.

David is now halting on his journey, when he is met with refreshment by Ziba, whom he had entrusted as the word for Mephibosheth; an acceptable pretext indeed, but brought with a very ill design. On his enquiry after his matter, this lying villain raises a scandalous report upon him, as if he now spired at the crown; and having incensed David too hastily against Mephibosheth, as well as conciliated his favour by this gift, he gains his end, and hath a grant made to him of the whole estate that pertained to his matter; at which, highly pleaded, he departs, with profession of deep acknowledgments for the favour. Note, (1.) Many, like Ziba, affect to be very generous of what is not their own. (2.) A servant’s lying tongue is the frequent cause of fad discord in families. (3.) The presents of a knave are to be regarded as snarim. (4.) An ill-intended design God can over-rule, to answer a good purpose. (5.) Raths judgment opens a door for after-shame and repentance. (6.) To turn a deaf ear to slander is always wise, and to hear at least both parties before we condemn.

1. Kippy

2. ¶ 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. 6. And he call Ronen 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. 7. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou ‘bloody man, and thou man of Belial. 8. The LORD hath returned upon him all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose head they had reigned, and ’the LORD hath delivered

the kingdom into the hand of Abfalom thy son: and behold thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. 9. ¶ Then said Abifhai 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. 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? 11. And David said to Abifhai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my wife: how much more now may this Benjamin do it? let him alone, and let him curse: for the LORD hath bidden him. 12. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that ’the LORD will require me good for his cursing this day. 13. And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hills fair over-against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and I call dutt. 14. And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

2 Samuel 16:5-14

When a man is sinking, he may expect to be losslated.

1. Shimei, a relation of Saul, takes advantage of David’s situation to pour out his invremed malice on him in outrageous abuts, on an opposite hill, near Bahurim, from whence he might be heard: he follows him with curbs, and threw stones at him, and dutt, as if he was a miscreant that deserved not to live; exalts in his misery, confident that his son would dethrone him; brands him with every opprobrious name, as a man of mischief, wickedness and murder, and confirms his pretext fulfilling a judgment from God for the blood of the house of Saul, wholly innocent as he was of it. Note, (1.) Though impudent malice rage, and draw its will to hurt us, ‘as a mercy power is wanting’. (2.) God’s corrections are often misconstrued into judgments, and when their enemy suffers, wicked men would fain bring in God as patronizing their cause. (3.) If we do ill we may expect to hear of it, well aggravated in the report of an enemy. (4.) Innocence is no protection from a lying tongue. (5.) The curbs of the wicked return upon their own heads.

2. David’s resignation is as exemplary as Shimei’s insolence is outrageous. Far from desiring to avenge himself, he stays the spirit of Abifhai, unable with patience to bear such reproach, and forbids him to hurt Shimei. He received it as a reproof from God; though the charge was untrue in part, he knew enough to humble him, and to reproach himself for: nor could he wonder at his enemy’s virulence, when his own son thirfted for his blood; patiently therefore he commits his cause to God, and humbly waits that he may turn these curses into a blessing. Note, (1.) We must not avenge ourselves, nor return evil for evil, even under the bitterest provocations. (2.) Though the charge laid against us be false, we may know enough to condemn ourselves for, which should make us patient under it. (3.) To see God’s hand in every trial is the way to be reconciled to bear it. (4.) Patience, under reproaches, will not fail of its recompense; God will make our righteousness as the light.

3. At Bahurim David halted to refresh his men, fatigued with the march, and more weary with grief of heart. And here, for a moment, we leave him to breath, whilst we return to observe the motions of his rebel son.

4. ¶ And Abfalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16. And it came to pass when Hufhai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Abfalom, that Hufhai said unto Abfalom, God save the king, God save the king. 17. And Abfalom said to Hufhai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? 18. And Hufhai said unto Abfalom, 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. 19. And again, whom should I serve? I 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. 20. ¶ Then said Abfalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. 21. And Ahithophel said unto Abfalom, ‘Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house, and all Israel shall bear that thou art abhorred of thy father, then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. 22. So they spread Abfalom a tent upon the top of the house, and Abfalom went into his father’s concubines, in the sight of all Israel. 23. And

5. 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 Abfalom.

6. 15—13. Abfalom and his forces have to Jerusalem, just deserved by the exile king; so graciously does God time his providences for our rescue: and now sanguine, in possession of the royal city, a numerous army, and such wise counsellors, concludes no doubt the day is his own and David undone. But the triumphing of the wicked is short.

7. We have here the interview of Hufhai with Abfalom; with deep disillusion he is the first to welcome his arrival, and dilute him king in Zion. Abfalom, pleasingly deserved to meet him, enquiries how he came to stay; and credulously falls into the heart, which Hufhai’s profession of loyalty forends for him, supposing his father’s friends saw his case desperate, and that all counted now the rising sun. Note, (1.) The proud are the only prey of every flatterer. (2.) Though it is no excuse for evil, that we mean well, yet God may permit that deceit to succeed, and his purposes to be served thereby, which he most justly condemns the author.

8. A counsel is held on the proper method of procedure, and Ahithophel, as president, proposes a deed shocking and infamous, yet highly politic, as it must tend to make the breach of the Abfalom and David irreparably, and thereby confirm all those who cleaved to his cause, in the assurance that there could be no reconciliation. Ahithophel’s wisdom is hereupon noted; so highly was he famed, that his advice was effected as circular by David as well as Abfalom; which accounts for the ready compliance which it at present met with. Note, (1.) Great wise men are usually great wicked men. (2.) They who consult only their ambition, never think of the crimes they commit in order to advance the cause they espouse.

9. Abfalom instantly puts the advice in practice, and exceeds it; he not only goes in to his father’s conclusions, but publicly, in the eyes of all Israel; a tent is spread in open view, on the top of the house, and there, as void of shame as confessions, he avows the ineffectual deed. Thus was the threatening, chap. xii. 11. fulfilled; and though horrid the crime, yet it was a full retaliation for David’s full adultery. Note, God punishes men often in kind, that they may be made to see and confess his righteous judgments.