Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Samuel 20
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 20
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 20
"And there happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel." — 2 Samuel 20:1 (ASV)
The son of Bichri... This should be read as "a Bichrite," a name formed in the same way as "Ahohite," "Hachmonite," and so on (2 Samuel 23:8–9). The name comes from Becher, the son of Benjamin (Genesis 46:21; 1 Chronicles 7:6–8).
Saul was also of this family. It is evident that the transfer of the royalty from their tribe to that of Judah still rankled in the hearts of many Benjamites (2 Samuel 16:8 note).
"So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem." — 2 Samuel 20:2 (ASV)
From Jordan... — The men of Israel only escorted David from the Jordan River to Gilgal and left him there; but the men of Judah, as a group, went with him all the way to Jerusalem.
"Then said the king to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be thou here present." — 2 Samuel 20:4 (ASV)
To Amasa ... - Evidently feeling his way toward fulfilling the promise to Amasa.
"So Amasa went to call [the men of] Judah together; but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him." — 2 Samuel 20:5 (ASV)
He delayed—The cause of Amasa’s delay is not stated. It may have been the unwillingness of the men of Judah to place themselves under his orders, or it may have been caused by a wavering or hesitation in his loyalty. This last possibility is evidently insinuated in 2 Samuel 20:11, and no doubt this was the pretext, whether grounded in fact or not, by which Joab justified the murder of Amasa before David.
"And David said to Abishai, Now will Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord`s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities, and escape out of our sight." — 2 Samuel 20:6 (ASV)
To Abishai — Probably, because the king was on bad terms with Joab and wished to remove him from his position as captain of the army, he gave his orders to Abishai. He then weakly connived at Joab carrying them out, which was inevitable.
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