10 But Absalom H53 sent H7971 spies H7270 throughout all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 As soon as ye hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet, H7782 then ye shall say, H559 Absalom H53 reigneth H4427 in Hebron. H2275
And unto David H1732 were sons H1121 born H3205 H3205 in Hebron: H2275 and his firstborn H1060 was Amnon, H550 of Ahinoam H293 the Jezreelitess; H3159 And his second, H4932 Chileab, H3609 of Abigail H26 the wife H802 of Nabal H5037 the Carmelite; H3761 and the third, H7992 Absalom H53 the son H1121 of Maacah H4601 the daughter H1323 of Talmai H8526 king H4428 of Geshur; H1650
That the triumphing H7445 of the wicked H7563 is short, H7138 and the joy H8057 of the hypocrite H2611 but for a moment? H7281 Though his excellency H7863 mount up H5927 to the heavens, H8064 and his head H7218 reach H5060 unto the clouds; H5645 Yet he shall perish H6 for ever H5331 like his own dung: H1561 they which have seen H7200 him shall say, H559 Where H335 is he? He shall fly away H5774 as a dream, H2472 and shall not be found: H4672 yea, he shall be chased away H5074 as a vision H2384 of the night. H3915 The eye H5869 also which saw H7805 him shall see him no more; H3254 neither shall his place H4725 any more behold H7789 him. His children H1121 shall seek to please H7521 the poor, H1800 and his hands H3027 shall restore H7725 their goods. H202 His bones H6106 are full H4390 of the sin of his youth, H5934 which shall lie down H7901 with him in the dust. H6083 Though wickedness H7451 be sweet H4985 in his mouth, H6310 though he hide H3582 it under his tongue; H3956 Though he spare H2550 it, and forsake H5800 it not; but keep it still H4513 within H8432 his mouth: H2441 Yet his meat H3899 in his bowels H4578 is turned, H2015 it is the gall H4846 of asps H6620 within H7130 him. He hath swallowed down H1104 riches, H2428 and he shall vomit them up again: H6958 God H410 shall cast them out H3423 of his belly. H990 He shall suck H3243 the poison H7219 of asps: H6620 the viper's H660 tongue H3956 shall slay H2026 him. He shall not see H7200 the rivers, H6390 the floods, H5104 the brooks H5158 of honey H1706 and butter. H2529 That which he laboured H3022 for shall he restore, H7725 and shall not swallow it down: H1104 according to his substance H2428 shall the restitution H8545 be, and he shall not rejoice H5965 therein. Because he hath oppressed H7533 and hath forsaken H5800 the poor; H1800 because he hath violently taken away H1497 an house H1004 which he builded H1129 not; Surely he shall not feel H3045 quietness H7961 in his belly, H990 he shall not save H4422 of that which he desired. H2530 There shall none of his meat H400 be left; H8300 therefore shall no man look H2342 for his goods. H2898 In the fulness H4390 H4390 of his sufficiency H5607 he shall be in straits: H3334 every hand H3027 of the wicked H6001 shall come H935 upon him. When he is about to fill H4390 his belly, H990 God shall cast H7971 the fury H2740 of his wrath H639 upon him, and shall rain H4305 it upon him while he is eating. H3894 He shall flee H1272 from the iron H1270 weapon, H5402 and the bow H7198 of steel H5154 shall strike him through. H2498 It is drawn, H8025 and cometh out H3318 of the body; H1465 yea, the glittering sword H1300 cometh out H1980 of his gall: H4846 terrors H367 are upon him. All darkness H2822 shall be hid H2934 in his secret places: H6845 a fire H784 not blown H5301 shall consume H398 him; it shall go ill H3415 with him that is left H8300 in his tabernacle. H168 The heaven H8064 shall reveal H1540 his iniquity; H5771 and the earth H776 shall rise up H6965 against him. The increase H2981 of his house H1004 shall depart, H1540 and his goods shall flow away H5064 in the day H3117 of his wrath. H639 This is the portion H2506 of a wicked H7563 man H120 from God, H430 and the heritage H5159 appointed H561 unto him by God. H410
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 15
Commentary on 2 Samuel 15 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 15
Absalom's name signifies "the peace of his father,' yet he proves his greatest trouble; so often are we disappointed in our expectations from the creature. The sword entailed upon David's house had hitherto been among his children, but now it begins to be drawn against himself, with this aggravation, that he may thank himself for it, for, had he done justice upon the murderer, he would have prevented the traitor. The story of Absalom's rebellion begins with this chapter, but we must go over three or four more before we see the end of it. In this chapter we have,
2Sa 15:1-6
Absalom is no sooner restored to his place at court than he aims to be in the throne. He that was unhumbled under his troubles became insufferably proud when they were over; and he cannot be content with the honour of being the king's son, and the prospect of being his successor, but he must be king now. His mother was a king's daughter; on that perhaps he valued himself, and despised his father, who was but the son of Jesse. She was the daughter of a heathen king, which made him the less concerned for the peace of Israel. David, in this unhappy issue of that marriage, smarted for his being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. When Absalom was restored to the king's favour, if he had had any sense of gratitude, he would have studied how to oblige his father, and make him easy; but, on the contrary, he meditates how to undermine him, by stealing the hearts of the people from him. Two things recommend a man to popular esteem-greatness and goodness.
2Sa 15:7-12
We have here the breaking out of Absalom's rebellion, which he had long been contriving. It is said to be after forty years, v. 7. But whence it is to be dated we are not told; not from David's beginning his reign, for then it would fall in the last year of his life, which is not probable; but either from his first anointing by Samuel seven years before, or rather (I think) from the people's desiring a king, and the first change of the government into a monarchy, which might be about ten years before David began to reign; it is fitly dated thence, to show that the same restless spirit was still working, and still they were given to change: as fond now of a new man as then of a new model. So it fell about the thirtieth year of David's reign. Absalom's plot being now ripe for execution,
2Sa 15:13-23
Here is,
2Sa 15:24-30
Here we have,
2Sa 15:31-37
Nothing, it seems, appeared to David more threatening in Absalom's plot than that Ahithophel was in it; for one good head, in such a design, is worth a thousand good hands. Absalom was himself no politician, but he had got one entirely in his interest that was, and would be the more dangerous because he had been all along acquainted with David's counsels and affairs; if therefore he can be baffled, Absalom is as good as routed and the head of the conspiracy cut off. This David endeavours to do.