32 And the king H4428 said H559 unto Cushi, H3569 Is the young man H5288 Absalom H53 safe? H7965 And Cushi H3569 answered, H559 The enemies H341 of my lord H113 the king, H4428 and all that rise H6965 against thee to do thee hurt, H7451 be as that young man H5288 is.
So let all thine enemies H341 perish, H6 O LORD: H3068 but let them that love H157 him be as the sun H8121 when he goeth forth H3318 in his might. H1369 And the land H776 had rest H8252 forty H705 years. H8141
Now therefore, my lord, H113 as the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 and as thy soul H5315 liveth, H2416 seeing the LORD H3068 hath withholden H4513 thee from coming H935 to shed blood, H1818 and from avenging H3467 thyself with thine own hand, H3027 now let thine enemies, H341 and they that seek H1245 evil H7451 to my lord, H113 be as Nabal. H5037
[[To the chief Musician, H5329 A Psalm H4210 or Song H7892 of David.]] H1732 Let God H430 arise, H6965 let his enemies H341 be scattered: H6327 let them also that hate H8130 him flee H5127 before H6440 him. As smoke H6227 is driven away, H5086 so drive them away: H5086 as wax H1749 melteth H4549 before H6440 the fire, H784 so let the wicked H7563 perish H6 at the presence H6440 of God. H430
Then H116 Daniel, H1841 whose name H8036 was Belteshazzar, H1096 was astonied H8075 for one H2298 hour, H8160 and his thoughts H7476 troubled H927 him. The king H4430 spake, H6032 and said, H560 Belteshazzar, H1096 let not H409 the dream, H2493 or the interpretation H6591 thereof, trouble H927 thee. Belteshazzar H1096 answered H6032 and said, H560 My lord, H4756 the dream H2493 be to them that hate H8131 thee, and the interpretation H6591 thereof to thine enemies. H6146
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 18
Commentary on 2 Samuel 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
This chapter puts a period to Absalom's rebellion and life, and so makes way for David to his throne again, whither the next chapter brings him back in peace and triumph. We have here,
2Sa 18:1-8
Which way David raised an army here, and what reinforcements were sent him, we are not told; many, it is likely, from all the coasts of Israel, at least from the neighbouring tribes, came in to his assistance, so that, by degrees, he was able to make head against Absalom, as Ahithophel foresaw. Now here we have,
Bishop Hall thus descants on this: "What means this ill-placed love? This unjust mercy? Deal gently with a traitor? Of all traitors, with a son? Of all sons, with an Absalom? That graceless darling of so good a father? And all this, for thy sake, whose crown, whose blood, he hunts after? For whose sake must he be pursued, if forborne for thine? Must the cause of the quarrel be the motive of mercy? Even in the holiest parents, nature may be guilty of an injurious tenderness, of a bloody indulgence. But was not this done in type of that immeasurable mercy of the true King and Redeemer of Israel, who prayed for his persecutors, for his murderers, Father, forgive them? Deal gently with them for my sake.' When God sends an affliction to correct his children, it is with this charge, "Deal gently with them for my sake;' for he knows our frame.
2Sa 18:9-18
Here is Absalom quite at a loss, at his wit's end first, and then at his life's end. He that began the fight, big with the expectation of triumphing over David himself, with whom, if he had had him in his power, he would not have dealt gently, is now in the greatest consternation, when he meets the servants of David, v. 9. Though they were forbidden to meddle with him, he durst not look them in the face; but, finding they were near him, he clapped spurs to his mule and made the best of his way, through thick and thin, and so rode headlong upon his own destruction. Thus he that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit, and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare, Jer. 48:44. David is inclined to spare him, but divine justice passes sentence upon him as a traitor, and sees it executed-that he hang by the neck, be caught alive, be embowelled, and his body disposed of disgracefully.
2Sa 18:19-33
Absalom's business is done; and we are now told,