2 Samuel 13
PATrevenge: according to the fable of the little mouse, who, when the dunghill-cock tame into the parlour, clapping his wings, and making a great noise, was vbry much affrighted at it, but minded not the cat whifch came gently creeping towards bet; whom her mother chid for her folly, tolling her there was no danger from the fluttering, clamorous cock; but from the silent cat she was to expect present death. So Victorinns Strigelius glosses upon this place.
2 Samuel 13:1
xm.ND it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her. Now begun a sad scene to be opened, of the calamities which Nathau foretold David should befal his house, (xii. 10.) It is’the common opinion of the Jews, that in the war king David. had with the king of Qcshur, ho took his daughter captive; who being very beautiful, he lay with her once (as they fancy the law, Dcut. xxi. 11. allows), and begat of her this daughter. And afterward, she becoming a proselyte, he married her; and begat Absalom. So this daughter being begot while her mothcr’was a gentile, they fancy she was not his legal child; and consequently Amnon might have married her. (Sec Scldcn, lib. v. de Jure Nat. et Gent, cap; 23. and Cooceius upon the Sanhedrin, cap. 2. n. 8. annot. 7. of which more upon ver. 13. see there.)
2 Samuel 13:2
And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for Ms sister. Tamar; for she was a virgin: and Amnon thought it hard to do any thing to her. The passionof his mind disordered his body, because he could not compask his desire: for she being a virgin, was under a strict guard (as
2 Samuel 13:23
And it came to pass after two years. In all which time Absalom had said nothirig to Amnon about his abtiscd sister; that he might think ho was ignorant of it, or did not regard it, or had forgot it. That Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.] For the time of sheep-shearing was a kind 6T harvest in those countries; and therefore full of joy; which they expressed by making a feast upon those days. We read of it darlyin the book of Genesis, viz. of Laban’s going to shear his sheep; (xxxi. 19.) and Judah, after his mourning for his wife’s death, went to refresh himself at a sheep-shearing with his friends, (xxxviii. 12, 13.) And it was at a time of such joy, that David sent to Nabal for some relief, (1 Sam. xxv. 8.)
2 Samuel 13:24
And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold, now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers: let the king, I beseech thee, and his semants, go with thy servant. He had no mind the king should go; but invited him, to avoid all suspicion.
2 Samuel 13:25
And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my soil, let us not all go. For he seems to have invited all his family: when he beseeched him and his servants to go with him. Lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.] Gave him thanks for his invitation, and prayed God to bless him.
2 Samuel 13:26
Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with me. To cover his design, he pretended, I suppose, a special kindness for him: or at ltfast desired the king to do him the honour, to let him Imve the company of his eldest brother. And the king saidunto him, Wlty should he go with thee?] Being the next person in the kingdom to the king, it is likely David thought it would make the entertainment too chargeable.
2 Samuel 13:27
But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Who might have taken exceptions, if Amnon alone had been entertained by him: therefore his importunity prevailed to have the company of them all.
2 Samuel 13:28
And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon is merry with wine. And had no thoughts of any danger. And when I say vnto you, Sinite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I comfnanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.] He encourages them to hope, that he, being the king’s son, and next heir to the crown w r hen Amnon was gone (forChileab seems now to be dead), would stand between them and danger of being called to an account for what they did.
2 Samuel 13:29
And the servants of Absalom did as Absalom had commanded: then all the king’s sons arose, and gat every one upon his, mule and fled. Fearing he might destroy all the royal family; for ambition was as strong in him as revenge; which appeared afterward in his endeavours to dcthrono his father. Mules began to be much in use in David’s days (as Bochart observes), who appointed Soloinbn to be carried on his own mule, and declared king, (1 Kings i. 33.) And Solomon had a present of them made to him, (1 Kings x. 23.) And they were not used only to ride on, but for carriage of burdens, (1 Chron. xii. 40.) and to draw chariots, as the LXX. understand, Isa. lxvi. 20. (See Hierozoicon, par. i. lib. ii. cap. 19.)
2 Samuel 13:30
And it came to pass while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slai7i all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. He that saw Amnon killed, presently ran aw r ay in a great fright, imagining all the king’s sons were so served.
2 Samuel 13:31
TJien the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. This was a natural expression of great grief, to throw themselves not upon their beds (as Maimonides observes), but upon the ground. Otherwise, they turned their beds upside down, and so lay as hard as if they lay upon the ground. (See Gierus de Luctu Hebr. cap. 18. sect. 8.)
2 Samuel 13:32
AndJonddab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, anstvered and said. Who was noted before to be a very subtle man, (ver. 3.) and understood all the intrigues (as we now speak) about the court. Let not my lord suppose they have slain • all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead.] This he spake not from any certain intelligence he had received from Absalom’s house; but from rational conjecture, out of what he had learnt concerning Absalom’s resentment. For by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined, from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.] He had talked, I suppose, among his familiars, that he would take a time to revenge the injury done his sister, though for the present he took no notice of it. Which Jonadab, being a prying man, had some w T ay or other discovered.
2 Samuel 13:33
Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead. He affirms this with the greater confidence, because he never heard (though he was of a very inquisitive temper) of any quarrel Absalom had with the rest of the king’s sons, but only Amnon.
2 Samuel 13:34
But Absalom fled. With all his servants who committed the murder. For he soon found it was not in his, nor anybody’s power to protect them. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked.] Round about him. And, behold, there came much people by the way of the liill-side behind him.] They did not think fit to keep the direct road from Baal-hazor to Jerusalem (for what reason we cannot now know), but went about; so that they came not before the watchman, but behind him.
2 Samuel 13:35
And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is. Hearing a company was coming, he >vent out, it is likely, to descry who they were; and seeing the king’s sons, made haste and carried David the good news.
2 Samuel 13:36
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came. They trod upon Jonadab’s heels, as we now speak. CHAP. XIV.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. And lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also and all his servants icept very sore.] See iii. 32. But we read of 110 public funeral and lamentations -which 1iq made for him, as he did for Abner.
2 Samuel 13:37
But Absalom fled? and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. For no city of refuge in his own country could give him protection, having committed a designed murder; therefore he fledout of the kingdom to his mother’s father. (See iii. 3.) And David mourned for his son every day.] Either for the loss of Amnon or for Absalom: who was lost, as to any comfort he could have from his company. It seems to be meant of the latter; for it is said he was comforted for Amnon: and therefore his continued affliction for three years together was upon the account of Absalom. Ver. 3S. And Absalom fled, and tvent to Geshur, and was tliere three years.] This is repeated to shew, that he found such favour with his grandfather, that he went no further; but continued with him three years in safety. Geshur, it appears from xv. 8. was a part of Syria.
2 Samuel 13:39
And the soul of David longed to go forth unto Absalom. He had a vehement desire to see him. Though some, even of the ancients, translate the words, he ceased to pursue after Absalom: as if he had at first endeavoured to seize him, either in his flight to Geshur, or afterward, when at any time he went abroad. But ours appears to be a true translation, from the beginning of the next chapter: where David’s heart is said to be towards Absalom.. For he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.] He was unwilling to want the comfort of both his sons; and since it was impossible to bring Amnon back again, he longed to bring back Absalom: but he had committed so horrid a crime, that he durst not venture to restore him in his favour.