Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Samuel 19
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 19
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 19
"And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;" — 2 Samuel 19:5 (ASV)
Had Absalom gained the victory, it is likely that, according to the custom of ancient eastern despots, he would have sought to secure his throne by killing all possible competitors (Judges 9:5; 1 Kings 15:29).
"Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate: and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent." — 2 Samuel 19:8 (ASV)
David saw the justice of what Joab said and the new danger which threatened him if he did not rouse himself from his grief.
For Israel refers not to David’s followers, but to Absalom’s army, as in 2 Samuel 17:26; 18:6; and 18:17.
"And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab." — 2 Samuel 19:13 (ASV)
Of my bone... This phrase should be understood as in the preceding verse: are you not my bone and my flesh? It is interesting to note how the phrase is used in 2 Samuel 5:1 to refer to common descent from Israel, in 2 Samuel 19:12 for the closer kinship of the tribe of Judah, and in this verse for the even nearer kinship between David and Amasa, his sister’s son.
Captain... instead of Joab. It is very clear that David found Joab’s overbearing influence to be oppressive (Compare 2 Samuel 19:22; 2 Samuel 3:39; 2 Samuel 16:10). David was very angry with Joab at this time for killing Absalom; therefore, thinking it was of vital importance to win over Amasa and the army of Judah, he did not scruple to offer him Joab’s high post.
"And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David." — 2 Samuel 19:16 (ASV)
Aware that Judah was unanimous in recalling the king, Shimei lost no time trying to make his peace with David, bringing a large Benjamite force with him.
"And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king." — 2 Samuel 19:17 (ASV)
Before the king - that is, “to meet the king.” Compare 2 Samuel 20:8. The king was on the east bank, and they crossed over (by the ford) from the west bank to go to him.
Jump to: