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Vers. 3. ANd the people gat them by stealth that day into the citie, as people be∣ing ashamed steal away when they flee in battel.] That is, in stead of entring the citie in a triumphant manner, as souldiers are wont to do, that return with victory from the battel, they scattered themselves asunder, and stole secretly in∣to
the citie, as if they had fled in the battel, and as ashamed of their cowardise, were now loth that any body should see them.
Vers. 4. But the king covered his face, &c.] See the note, chap. 15.30.
Vers. 5, And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, &c.] Joab saw that there was some danger, lest the hearts of Davids friends and servants, should be alienated from him, by his car∣rying of himself so disrespectfully to those that had hazarded their lives for him; and he perceived too that his passions were so violent, that there was no way to winne him to withstand them, unlesse he spake that which might startle him and scare him, and hence it was that he spake so roughly and sharply to David, more roughly in∣deed then otherwise it had been fit for a subject to speak to his sovereigne.
Vers. 7. Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants, &c.] This Joab advised David to do, that he might prevent the alienating of his servants affections from him, and perhaps too because the addressing of himself to the affairs of his kingdome, would be the best means to allay his passions, and indeed after that he came forth and sat in the gate, we heare no more of his violent weep∣ing and wailing.
Vers. 9. And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel &c.] That is, throughout all the ten tribes of the Israelites, the people began to blame one another, for siding with Absalom in his insurrrection against his father, and to call upon their Elders and Officers to go and submit themselves to him, and to fetch him back again into the land of Israel, to the citie of Jerusalem, that he might be reesta∣blished in the throne, to reigne over them again, as he had done.
Vers. 10. And Absalom whom we anointed over us, is dead in battel, &c.] This is another argument wherewith the Israelites perswaded one another to submit themselves again to David, and it is as if they had said, we see that God was against us in that attempt of ours to make Absalom king, and why do we then still stand it out, and not go in and seek reconciliation with our king whom we have wronged?
Vers. 11. And king David sent to Zadok, and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the Elders of Judah, &c.] The men of Judah had been the first, and chief in siding with Absalom, and had delivered up to him the citie of Jerusalem, and the strong fort of Sion, and being therefore conscious to themselves of much in∣gratitude against their sovereigne, and fearing withall his just displeasure against them, they durst not think of going forth to meet him; David therefore by the priests who had stayed all this while in Jerusalem, sends them word how ready he was to pardon and forget all that was past, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? and assures them that his affection to them was singular, as being his brethren of the same tribe with himself, Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones, and my flesh, and acquainting them what he had heard concerning the resolution of the other tribes, warns them to take heed that they were not the last in fetching home their king that had cause to be the first: and thus was David a notable type of Christ, who doth also fetch in rebels to God, by proclaiming the tidings of mercy to them, the terrours of the Law may scare sinners, and make them desire if it were possible, to runne away from God, but it is the tender of grace in the Gospel, that makes them come in and submit themselues.
Vers. 13. And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh, &c.] David doubting that Amasa, despairing of the pardon of his offence, might draw from him a great part of the strength of Israel, now under his command, he sent particularly to him, both to assure him that he was ready to receive him into his favour again, and to give him the respect of a near kinsman (for he was indeed his sisters sonne, 1. Chron. 2.16, 17.) and also to proffer him the place of captain of the host, (the place which Absalom had given him, and which Joab now enjoyed, and had long since purchased by his valour, 1. Chron. 11.6.) God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually, in the room of Joab: and thus did David seek both to satisfie Amasa, and winne him to come in, and withall to weaken the excessive power of Joab, who had alwayes carried him∣self too too insolently towards him, and had now lately much provoked him, both by slaying Absalom, against his expresse command, and speaking so roughly and rudely to him, when he was in heavinesse lamenting his death.
Vers. 14. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man, &c.] Some understand this of Amasa, that upon this promise made to him, by David, he presently inclined the hearts of all the men of Judah to David, so that unanimously they sent to the king, their desire, that he should return to Jerusalem again, and the tender of their fealtie and alleageance to him, as in former times; but I rather think with others, that this is spoken of David, and that it is mentioned as the happy effect of this his wise, and gentle carriage of himself, both towards the men of Judah in generall, and Amasa in particular; namely, that herewith he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, to desire unanimously to settle him again in the throne; it might have cost a great deal of bloud to have subdued them by force; but by these tenders of grace, he bowed their hearts to him, even according to his own desire.
Vers. 17. And they went over Jordan before the king.] That is, before the king came over, to wit, to meet him there on the other side, and to fetch him over.
Vers. 20. I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my Lord the king.] It may be justly questioned why Shimei, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, chap. 16.5. should here say, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph; but to this two answers may be given, which have good evidence of reason in them (to omit others that are not so satisfactory as these are) to wit, first, that hereby is meant, that he was the first of all the tribes of Israel that came to the king, as considered apart from the tribe of Judah: the Scripture is wont ordinarily to divide the tribes into Judah and Israel, and the tribes of Israel so re∣ckoned a part from Judah, are usually called Ephraim (because that was the chief of those tribes) as Esa. 7.2. Syria is confederate with Ephraim; and the house of Jo∣seph, Psal. 80.1. Give eare O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock: and Zach. 10.6. I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph: and so here in the same regard all the tribes of Israel, as distin∣guished from Judah, are comprehended under these words, the house of Joseph: or secondly, that hereby is meant that he was come before any of the house of Joseph, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph: that is, I am come before any of the tribes of Israel, and because indeed where Judah and Israel, or the house of Judah, are distinguished in the Scriptures, Benjamin is usually reckoned with Ju∣dah,
therefore many Expositours do rather approve of this last resolution of this doubt.
Vers. 22. And David said, What have I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me?] That is, that you should advise me to that which may prove so exceeding prejudiciall to me; my adversaries could not wish me more hurt, then this which you advise may bring upon me.
For do not I know, that I am this day king over Israel?] That is, am I not this day reestablished again in my kingdome, which I had in a manner lost? and would it be convenient to damp the joy of this day with shedding bloud? or would it be safe to beat off them that begin now to submit themselves, and to endanger my yet unsettled estate, by shewing such severitie to him that first stooped, and acknowledg∣ed his fault? and should not Gods mercy in restoring me to my kingdome, induce me to shew mercy to others?
Vers. 23. Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die, and the king sware unto him.] Yet at his death, he gave Solomon charge to put him to death, 1. kings 2.9. his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with bloud, as perswading himself happely, that therein he should not break his oath: first, because he sware onely for himself, that he would not put him to death, I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death: secondly, because he did not (as it may seem) absolutely enjoyn his sonne to put him to death for this fact, but to take some other occasion to do it, for so much those words seem to imply, which there he useth: thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him, namely, that if he watched and observed him well, his malice and wickednesse would break forth, and give occasion enough, in somewhat or other, to proceed against him in a way of justice, and so then he might punish him for all together.
Vers. 26. And he answered, My Lord O king, my servant deceived me, for thy servant said, I will sadle me an asse, &c.] To wit, in that when Mephibosheth had told him that he would have an asse sadled, that he might ride to the king, he took away the asses, and went secretly to David, leaving him behind, a poore lame man, no way able to help himself.
Vers. 28. For all of my fathers house were but dead men before my Lord the king, &c.] That is, we were in thy power, thou mightest have put us all to death, and enough thou hadst been provoked by our family especially by the attempt which Ishbosheth made, and therefore, saith he, what right have I yet to cry any more unto the king? that is, what cause have I therefore to complain, though that which was given me, when there was so little cause for it, be now taken away.
Vers. 29. And the king said unto him Why speakest thou any more of thy mat∣ters? I have said, Thou and Z••ba divide the land.] Some understand this thus, as if he had said, thou needest say no more, I believe and approve thy excuse, the latter sentence given upon Ziba's slander to wit, that he should have thy land. I recall, and do reestablish my former, which was, that thou and Ziba divide the land that is, that Ziba shall occupy the land to halves for thy use, for this they conceive was the order which David appointed at first chap. 9.10. to wit that Ziba should till the land, &c. and then he should have ••alf the encrease for his cost and labour and the other half Mephibosheth should have, and that this David did now again esta∣blish,
and that therefore David useth these words, I have said, as having respect to his first order. But most Expositours do farre otherwise understand this sentence, and I think rightly, to wit, that David as still scarce fully satisfied concerning Mephi∣bosheth, and not willing to give any discontent to Ziba, especially at this time, pre∣tended haste, that he had not leisure to examine the businesse any further, and there∣fore at all adventures resolved to go a middle way, and so to determine it thus, that they should divide the land betwixt them; I have said, that is, this I decree, and it shall not be altered, thou and Ziba divide the land: and indeed, if this were not the meaning of his words, why should Mephibosheth have answered David to shew himself contented, vers. 30. Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace, &c. It is indeed very strange, that David so good and just a king, should passe such an unjust sentence, especially against Mephibosheth, the sonne of his beloved Jonathan, with whom he had made a solemn covenant, that he would shew kindnesse to him, and to his seed after him: for first, the tale that Me∣phibosheth told was in it self very fair and probable: secondly, even the poor plight wherein he was (for he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, since the king went from Jerusalem) made his report of the bu∣sinesse the more credible, there being no appearance in this of one that affected to be king of Israel, as Ziba had slandered him: and thirdly, Ziba's being present and not answering a word to what Mephibosheth said, made the truth of this charge unquestionable: but it seems David was loth to displease Ziba by taking back from him all that he had given him, especially at this time, when he was so desirous to endear himself to every body as much as he might, and therefore he hoped to salve all by appointing them to divide the land between them.
Vers. 33. And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.] Thus David was carefull to requite those that had shewed him kindnesse in his affliction; and so will Christ remember their love, and requite their kindnesse abundantly that afford any help or relief, to him or to his poor members, Matt. 25.34, 35. Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the king∣dome: For I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, &c.
Vers. 40. And all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.] That is, those of Israel that had stuck to the king in the warre, and fell not from him, and such as were since come and were reconciled to him, as that thousand of Benjamin, vers. 17. yet the precise half is not to be understood, but onely a part, to wit, that they were not so wholly there, as the men of Judah were.
Vers. 43. And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said▪ We have ten parts in the king, &c.] To wit, as being ten of the twelve tribes, for the men of Benjamin were with Judah.
And the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer then the words of the men of Israel &c.] To wit, when they answered this objection of the men of Israel, they did not seek to appease the Israelites of the ten tribes, but when they came to reply upon them, their language was fiercer and rougher then the others had been.