성경 주석서

2 Samuel 20:1. There happened to be there, &c. — His presence was casual in itself, though ordered by God’s providence. A man of Belial — A wicked and lawless person, one who attempted to shake off the yoke of civil authority. A Benjamite — And therefore grieved at the translation of the kingdom from Saul and that tribe, to David and the tribe of Judah. We have no part in David — The tribe of Judah have monopolized the king to themselves, and will not allow us any share in him; let them therefore enjoy him alone, and let us seek out a new king. The son of Jesse — An expression of contempt, implying that he was no more to be owned as their king, but as a private person, as the son of Jesse. To his tents — Let us all desist from that unthankful office, of bringing the king back, and go each to our homes, that we may consider, and then meet together to choose a new king.

2 Samuel 20:2. So every man of Israel went up from after David — Instead of going home, the generality of those Israelites who were present followed their seditious incendiary. But the men of Judah clave to their king — None of them stirred from him, but conducted him from Jordan to Jerusalem. Nor is it to be supposed that all the men of Israel forsook him; but only a very great number of them.

2 Samuel 20:3. But went not in unto them — He looked upon them as become impure to him, having been defiled by his son. They were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood — Being royal wives, it was not proper they should be married to any one else, and therefore David did not give them a bill of divorce, but shut them up close, that no man might have converse with them. And indeed it would not have been prudent to have let them be so much as seen abroad, as that would have renewed the remembrance of Absalom’s crime.

2 Samuel 20:4-5. Assemble me the men of Judah — David here made good his promise to Amasa, which was a great encouragement to others in the tribe of Judah to adhere to him. And by this means also the seditious Israelites might be the sooner brought to reason, when they saw their old general in the field against them. He tarried longer than the set time — Finding some difficulty in the business, either because the people, being wearied out by the late war, were not forward to engage in another; or because the soldiers had more affection to Joab than to their new general.

2 Samuel 20:6-7. Then David said to Abishai — Not to Joab; lest by this means he should recover his place, and Amasa be discontented, and David’s fidelity in making good his promise to Amasa be questioned. Now shall Sheba do us more harm than Absalom — If he have time to gather an army; the people being highly incensed by the provocation which the men of Judah had given them. Take thy lord’s servants — The guards that attended David, and the standing forces which were always kept in readiness. There went out after him Joab’s men — A body of men whom he particularly commanded, with whom Joab also might go in some character, watching an opportunity to do what he designed.

2 Samuel 20:8. Amasa went before them — As their commander-in-chief. Having gathered some forces, and given due orders for the rest to follow him, he returned to Jerusalem, and by the king’s command went after those mentioned 2 Samuel 20:7, and being come up to them at the place where they waited for him, he put himself at the head of Joab’s men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and such as he had brought along with him, and marched before them as their general. Joab’s garment was girded unto him — After the manner of travellers and soldiers: for he had now no armour on, but only such a garment as soldiers wore, closely girt to him. Upon it a girdle with a sword — A belt, in which a sword hung by his side. As he went forth — To meet and salute Amasa, who was coming toward him to do him honour; it fell out — Having, probably, been designedly so hung by Joab, that upon some particular motion of his body, it might drop out of the sheath, and he might take it up without awaking Amasa’s suspicion.

2 Samuel 20:9. Joab took Amasa by the beard — As the manner of ancient times was when they saluted one another, and, it appears, is still a custom among some of the eastern people, who take one another by the chin or the beard when they would give a hearty salute. Thevenot says it is often done among the Turks, although at the same time he assures us it is a great affront to take one by the beard on any other account than to kiss him.

2 Samuel 20:10. Amasa took no heed to the sword — Which, falling out, as it seemed, casually, he supposed that Joab intended only to put into its scabbard, and therefore took no care to defend himself against the stroke. So Joab and Abishai pursued after Sheba — He boldly and immediately resumed his former place, and marched at the head of the army. It may appear strange that Amasa’s soldiers did not attempt to revenge his death; but it must be observed that not many of them were yet come up, as the following verses show, and Joab’s interest and authority with the military men were very great, especially with David’s guards, who were here present, and who had neither confidence in nor affection for Amasa, as having been the general of the rebellious army; and, as they probably thought, not fit to be put into a place of such great trust.