1 And there happened H7122 to be there a man H376 of Belial, H1100 whose name H8034 was Sheba, H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri, H1075 a Benjamite: H1145 and he blew H8628 a trumpet, H7782 and said, H559 We have no part H2506 in David, H1732 neither have we inheritance H5159 in the son H1121 of Jesse: H3448 every H376 man H376 to his tents, H168 O Israel. H3478
2 So every man H376 of Israel H3478 went up H5927 from after H310 David, H1732 and followed H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri: H1075 but the men H376 of Judah H3063 clave H1692 unto their king, H4428 from Jordan H3383 even to Jerusalem. H3389
3 And David H1732 came H935 to his house H1004 at Jerusalem; H3389 and the king H4428 took H3947 the ten H6235 women H802 his concubines, H6370 whom he had left H3240 to keep H8104 the house, H1004 and put H5414 them in ward, H4931 and fed H3557 them, but went not in H935 unto them. So they were shut up H6887 unto the day H3117 of their death, H4191 living H2424 in widowhood. H491
4 Then said H559 the king H4428 to Amasa, H6021 Assemble H2199 me the men H376 of Judah H3063 within three H7969 days, H3117 and be thou here present. H5975
5 So Amasa H6021 went H3212 to assemble H2199 the men of Judah: H3063 but he tarried longer H309 H3186 than the set time H4150 which he had appointed H3259 him.
6 And David H1732 said H559 to Abishai, H52 Now shall Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 do us more harm H3415 than did Absalom: H53 take H3947 thou thy lord's H113 servants, H5650 and pursue H7291 after H310 him, lest he get H4672 him fenced H1219 cities, H5892 and escape H5337 us. H5869
7 And there went out H3318 after H310 him Joab's H3097 men, H582 and the Cherethites, H3774 and the Pelethites, H6432 and all the mighty men: H1368 and they went out H3318 of Jerusalem, H3389 to pursue H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri. H1075
8 When they were at the great H1419 stone H68 which is in Gibeon, H1391 Amasa H6021 went H935 before H6440 them. And Joab's H3097 garment H4055 that he had put on H3830 was girded H2296 unto him, and upon it a girdle H2289 with a sword H2719 fastened H6775 upon his loins H4975 in the sheath H8593 thereof; and as he went forth H3318 it fell out. H5307
9 And Joab H3097 said H559 to Amasa, H6021 Art thou in health, H7965 my brother? H251 And Joab H3097 took H270 Amasa H6021 by the beard H2206 with the right H3225 hand H3027 to kiss H5401 him.
10 But Amasa H6021 took no heed H8104 to the sword H2719 that was in Joab's H3097 hand: H3027 so he smote H5221 him therewith in the fifth H2570 rib, and shed out H8210 his bowels H4578 to the ground, H776 and struck him not again; H8138 and he died. H4191 So Joab H3097 and Abishai H52 his brother H251 pursued H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri. H1075
11 And one H376 of Joab's H3097 men H5288 stood H5975 by him, and said, H559 He H4310 that favoureth H2654 Joab, H3097 and he that is for David, H1732 let him go after H310 Joab. H3097
12 And Amasa H6021 wallowed H1556 in blood H1818 in the midst H8432 of the highway. H4546 And when the man H376 saw H7200 that all the people H5971 stood still, H5975 he removed H5437 Amasa H6021 out of the highway H4546 into the field, H7704 and cast H7993 a cloth H899 upon him, when he saw H7200 that every one that came H935 by him stood still. H5975
13 When he was removed H3014 out of the highway, H4546 all the people H376 went on H5674 after H310 Joab, H3097 to pursue H7291 after H310 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri. H1075
14 And he went H5674 through all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 unto Abel, H59 and to Bethmaachah, H1038 and all the Berites: H1276 and they were gathered together, H6950 H7035 and went H935 also after H310 him.
15 And they came H935 and besieged H6696 him in Abel H59 of Bethmaachah, H1038 and they cast up H8210 a bank H5550 against the city, H5892 and it stood H5975 in the trench: H2426 and all the people H5971 that were with Joab H3097 battered H7843 the wall, H2346 to throw it down. H5307
16 Then cried H7121 a wise H2450 woman H802 out of the city, H5892 Hear, H8085 hear; H8085 say, H559 I pray you, unto Joab, H3097 Come near H7126 hither, that I may speak H1696 with thee.
17 And when he was come near H7126 unto her, the woman H802 said, H559 Art thou Joab? H3097 And he answered, H559 I am he. Then she said H559 unto him, Hear H8085 the words H1697 of thine handmaid. H519 And he answered, H559 I do hear. H8085
18 Then she spake, H559 saying, H559 They were wont H1696 to speak H1696 in old time, H7223 saying, H559 They shall surely H7592 ask H7592 counsel at Abel: H59 and so they ended H8552 the matter.
19 I am one of them that are peaceable H7999 and faithful H539 in Israel: H3478 thou seekest H1245 to destroy H4191 a city H5892 and a mother H517 in Israel: H3478 why wilt thou swallow up H1104 the inheritance H5159 of the LORD? H3068
20 And Joab H3097 answered H6030 and said, H559 Far be it, H2486 far be it H2486 from me, that I should swallow up H1104 or destroy. H7843
21 The matter H1697 is not so: but a man H376 of mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri H1075 by name, H8034 hath lifted up H5375 his hand H3027 against the king, H4428 even against David: H1732 deliver H5414 him only, and I will depart H3212 from the city. H5892 And the woman H802 said H559 unto Joab, H3097 Behold, his head H7218 shall be thrown H7993 to thee over H1157 the wall. H2346
22 Then the woman H802 went H935 unto all the people H5971 in her wisdom. H2451 And they cut off H3772 the head H7218 of Sheba H7652 the son H1121 of Bichri, H1075 and cast H7993 it out to Joab. H3097 And he blew H8628 a trumpet, H7782 and they retired H6327 from the city, H5892 every man H376 to his tent. H168 And Joab H3097 returned H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 unto the king. H4428
23 Now Joab H3097 was over all the host H6635 of Israel: H3478 and Benaiah H1141 the son H1121 of Jehoiada H3077 was over the Cherethites H3774 H3746 and over the Pelethites: H6432
24 And Adoram H151 was over the tribute: H4522 and Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Ahilud H286 was recorder: H2142
25 And Sheva H7864 H7724 was scribe: H5608 and Zadok H6659 and Abiathar H54 were the priests: H3548
26 And Ira H5896 also the Jairite H2972 was a chief ruler H3548 about David. H1732
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 20
Commentary on 2 Samuel 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
2Sa 20:1-9. Sheba Makes a Party in Israel.
1. Sheba … a Benjamite—Though nothing is known of this man, he must have been a person of considerable power and influence, before he could have raised so sudden and extensive a sedition. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, where the adherents of Saul's dynasty were still numerous; and perceiving the strong disgust of the other tribes with the part assumed by Judah in the restoration, his ill-designing heart resolved to turn it to the overthrow of David's authority in Israel.
every man to his tents—This proverbial expression may have had its foundation in the fact, that many of the Israelite peasantry adhered to the custom of the patriarchs who tilled land, and yet lived in tents, as Syrian peasants often do still. This was the usual watchword of national insurrection, and from the actual temper of the people, it was followed by effects beyond what he probably anticipated.
2. from Jordan even to Jerusalem—The quarrel had broken out shortly after the crossing of the Jordan, between Judah and the other tribes, who withdrew; so that Judah was left nearly alone to conduct the king to the metropolis.
3. the king took the ten women his concubines—Jewish writers say that the widowed queens of Hebrew monarchs were not allowed to marry again but were obliged to pass the rest of their lives in strict seclusion. David treated his concubines in the same manner after the outrage committed on them by Absalom. They were not divorced, for they were guiltless; but they were no longer publicly recognized as his wives; nor was their confinement to a sequestered life a very heavy doom, in a region where women have never been accustomed to go much abroad.
4. Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days—Amasa is now installed in the command which David had promised him. The revolt of the ten tribes, probably, hastened the public declaration of this appointment, which he hoped would be popular with them, and Amasa was ordered within three days to levy a force from Judah sufficient to put down the insurrection. The appointment was a blunder, and the king soon perceived his error. The specified time passed, but Amasa could not muster the men. Dreading the loss of time, the king gave the commission to Abishai, and not to Joab—a new affront, which, no doubt, wounded the pride of the stern and haughty old general. But he hastened with his attached soldiers to go as second to his brother, determined to take the first opportunity of wreaking his vengeance on his successful rival.
8. Amasa went before them—Having collected some forces, he by a rapid march overtook the expedition at Gibeon, and assumed the place of commander; in which capacity, he was saluted, among others, by Joab.
Joab's garment, that he had put on was girded unto him—in the fashion of travellers and soldiers.
a sword … and as he went forth it fell out—that is, out of the scabbard. According to Josephus, he let it drop on purpose as he was accosting Amasa, that stooping, as it were accidentally, to pick it up, he might salute the new general with the naked sword in his hand, without exciting any suspicion of his design.
He went forth—in a ceremonious manner to meet Amasa, now commander-in-chief, in order to seem to render to that officer, whom he considered as usurping his post, a conspicuous honor and homage.
9. took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him—This act, common with two friends on meeting when one of them returns from a journey, indicates respect as well as kindliness, and the performance of it evinced the deep hypocrisy of Joab, who thereby put Amasa off his guard. No wonder, then, that while this act of friendly gratulation after long absence occupied Amasa's attention, he did not perceive the sword that was in Joab's left hand. The action of Joab was indeed a high compliment, but neither suspicious nor unusual and to this compliment, Amasa paying attention and no doubt returning it with suitable politeness, he could little expect the fatal event that Joab's perfidy produced.
2Sa 20:10-13. Amasa Is Slain.
10. smote him … in the fifth rib—the seat of the liver and bowels, where wounds are mortal.
struck him not again—that is, despatched him at the first blow.
11-13. He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab—It is a striking proof of Joab's unrivalled influence over the army, that with this villainous murder perpetrated before their eyes they unanimously followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba. A soldier conjoined his name with David's, and such a magic spell was in the word "Joab," that all the people "went on"—Amasa's men as well as the rest. The conjunction of these two names is very significant. It shows that the one could not afford to do without the other—neither Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating him.
2Sa 20:14, 15. Joab Pursues Sheba unto Abel.
14. he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel—beating up for recruits. But there the prompt marches of Joab overtook and hemmed him in by a close siege of the place.
15. Abel of Beth-maachah—a verdant place—the addition of "Maachah" betokening that it belonged to the district Maachah, which lay far up the Jordan at the foot of Lebanon.
2Sa 20:16-22. A Wise Woman Saves the City by Sheba's Head.
16. Then cried a wise woman—The appeal of this woman, who, like Deborah, was probably a judge or governess of the place, was a strong one.
18-20. They were wont to speak in old time—The translation of the Margin gives a better meaning, which is to this effect: When the people saw thee lay siege to Abel, they said, Surely he will ask if we will have peace, for the law (De 20:10) prescribes that he should offer peace to strangers, much more then to Israelitish cities; and if he do this, we shall soon bring things to an amicable agreement, for we are a peaceable people. The answer of Joab brings out the character of that ruthless veteran as a patriot at heart, who, on securing the author of this insurrection, was ready to put a stop to further bloodshed and release the peaceable inhabitants from all molestation.
2Sa 20:23-26. David's Great Officers.
23. Now Joab was over all the host of Israel—David, whatever his private wishes, found that he possessed not the power of removing Joab; so winking at the murder of Amasa, he re-established that officer in his former post of commander-in-chief. The enumeration of David's cabinet is here given to show that the government was re-established in its wonted course.