14 And David H1732 said H559 unto all his servants H5650 that were with him at Jerusalem, H3389 Arise, H6965 and let us flee; H1272 for we shall not else escape H6413 from H6440 Absalom: H53 make speed H4116 to depart, H3212 lest he overtake H5381 us suddenly, H4116 and bring H5080 evil H7451 upon us, and smite H5221 the city H5892 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
And all the people H5971 were at strife H1777 throughout all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 The king H4428 saved H5337 us out of the hand H3709 of our enemies, H341 and he delivered H4422 us out of the hand H3709 of the Philistines; H6430 and now he is fled H1272 out of the land H776 for Absalom. H53
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Behold, I will raise up H6965 evil H7451 against thee out of thine own house, H1004 and I will take H3947 thy wives H802 before thine eyes, H5869 and give H5414 them unto thy neighbour, H7453 and he shall lie H7901 with thy wives H802 in the sight H5869 of this sun. H8121
And the three H7969 mighty men H1368 brake through H1234 the host H4264 of the Philistines, H6430 and drew H7579 water H4325 out of the well H953 of Bethlehem, H1035 that was by the gate, H8179 and took H5375 it, and brought H935 it to David: H1732 nevertheless he would H14 not drink H8354 thereof, but poured it out H5258 unto the LORD. H3068 And he said, H559 Be it far H2486 from me, O LORD, H3068 that I should do H6213 this: is not this the blood H1818 of the men H582 that went H1980 in jeopardy of their lives? H5315 therefore he would H14 not drink H8354 it. These things did H6213 these three H7969 mighty men. H1368
[[A Psalm H4210 of David, H1732 when he fled H1272 from H6440 Absalom H53 his son.]] H1121 LORD, H3068 how are they increased H7231 that trouble H6862 me! many H7227 are they that rise up H6965 against me. Many H7227 there be which say H559 of my soul, H5315 There is no help H3444 for him in God. H430 Selah. H5542 But thou, O LORD, H3068 art a shield H4043 for me; my glory, H3519 and the lifter up H7311 of mine head. H7218 I cried H7121 unto the LORD H3068 with my voice, H6963 and he heard H6030 me out of his holy H6944 hill. H2022 Selah. H5542 I laid me down H7901 and slept; H3462 I awaked; H6974 for the LORD H3068 sustained H5564 me. I will not be afraid H3372 of ten thousands H7233 of people, H5971 that have set H7896 themselves against me round about. H5439 Arise, H6965 O LORD; H3068 save H3467 me, O my God: H430 for thou hast smitten H5221 all mine enemies H341 upon the cheek bone; H3895 thou hast broken H7665 the teeth H8127 of the ungodly. H7563 Salvation H3444 belongeth unto the LORD: H3068 thy blessing H1293 is upon thy people. H5971 Selah. H5542
Do good H3190 in thy good pleasure H7522 unto Zion: H6726 build H1129 thou the walls H2346 of Jerusalem. H3389
Because of the voice H6963 of the enemy, H341 because H6440 of the oppression H6125 of the wicked: H7563 for they cast H4131 iniquity H205 upon me, and in wrath H639 they hate H7852 me. My heart H3820 is sore pained H2342 within H7130 me: and the terrors H367 of death H4194 are fallen H5307 upon me. Fearfulness H3374 and trembling H7461 are come H935 upon me, and horror H6427 hath overwhelmed H3680 me. And I said, H559 Oh that H5414 I had wings H83 like a dove! H3123 for then would I fly away, H5774 and be at rest. H7931 Lo, then would I wander H5074 far off, H7368 and remain H3885 in the wilderness. H4057 Selah. H5542 I would hasten H2363 my escape H4655 from the windy H7307 storm H5584 and tempest. H5591 Destroy, H1104 O Lord, H136 and divide H6385 their tongues: H3956 for I have seen H7200 violence H2555 and strife H7379 in the city. H5892 Day H3119 and night H3915 they go about H5437 it upon the walls H2346 thereof: mischief H205 also and sorrow H5999 are in the midst H7130 of it. Wickedness H1942 is in the midst H7130 thereof: deceit H8496 and guile H4820 depart H4185 not from her streets. H7339
If I forget H7911 thee, O Jerusalem, H3389 let my right hand H3225 forget H7911 her cunning. If I do not remember H2142 thee, let my tongue H3956 cleave H1692 to the roof of my mouth; H2441 if I prefer H5927 not Jerusalem H3389 above my chief H7218 joy. H8057
Moreover the prince H5387 shall not take H3947 of the people's H5971 inheritance H5159 by oppression, H3238 to thrust H3238 them out of their possession; H272 but he shall give his sons H1121 inheritance H5157 out of his own possession: H272 that my people H5971 be not scattered H6327 every man H376 from his possession. H272
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.