2 Samuel16chapter 16

2 Samuel 16:5

“Bahurim - See 2Sa 3:16 note. It seems to have lain off the road, on a ridge 2Sa 16:13, separated from it by a narrow ravine, so that Shimei was out of easy reach though within hearing, and within a stone’s throw 2Sa 16:6, 2Sa 16:9. Shimei, the son of Gera - In the title to Ps. 7 he is apparently called “Cush the Benjamite.” On Gera, see Jdg 3:15 note.”

2 Samuel 16:5-12

“It is, however, only the confines of the district that are here meant. Shimei, . . . a man of the family of Saul--The misfortune of his family, and the occupation by David of what they considered their rightful possessions, afforded a natural, if not a justifiable cause for this ebullition of rude insults and violence.”

2 Samuel 16:7

“Come out - Rather, “Go out,” namely, of the land, into banishment. Compare Jer 29:16. Thou bloody man - See the margin. The Lord’s word to David 1Ch 22:8 was probably known to Shimei and now cast in David’s teeth by him, with special reference to the innocent blood of Uriah.”

2 Samuel 16:7-8

“It is well for us that men are not to be our judges, but he whose judgment is according to truth. The blood of the house of Saul is here most unjustly charged upon David, [1.] As that which gave him his character, and denominated him a bloody man and a man of Belial,”

2 Samuel 16:8

“All the blood of the house of Saul - Shimei probably put to David’s account the death of Saul, and Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, slain in battle by the Philistines with whom David was in league; of Ish-bosheth, slain in consequence of David’s league with Abner; that of Abner himself, which he attributed to David’s secret orders; and all the 360 slain in the battle between Joab and Abner 2Sa 2:31. Some, too, think that the death of seven men of Saul’s immediate family 2Sa 21:8 had occurred before David’s flight, and was referred to by Shimei.”

2 Samuel 16:8

“The blood of Abner and Ishbosheth; which he imputes to David, as if they had been killed by David's contrivance: or, 2. the death of Saul's seven sons, chap. xxi, 8, which, though related after this, seems to have been done before. Art taken - The same mischief thou didst bring upon others, is now returned upon thy own head.”

2 Samuel 16:9-13

“We can show, too, that holy David was like Paul in this same class of virtue. When … Shimei cursed him and charged him with heavy offenses, at the first he was silent and humbled himself, and was silent even about his good deeds, that is, his knowledge of good works. Then he even asked to be cursed; for when he was cursed he hoped to gain divine pity.But see how he stored up humility and justice and prudence so as to merit grace from the Lord!”

2 Samuel 16:9

“This dead dog - See the marginal reference and 2Sa 9:8 note. Go over - The ravine, possibly with a stream of water 2Sa 17:20, which lay between them and Shimei.”

2 Samuel 16:9

“Shimei unjustly upbraided him with the blood of Saul: from that his conscience acquitted him, but, at the same time, it charged him with the blood of Uriah. "The reproach is too true" (thinks David), "though false as he means it." Note, A humble tender spirit will turn reproaches into reproofs, and so get good by them, instead of being provoked by them.”

2 Samuel 16:10

“Have recourse, O Lord, always to your mercy, and sustain the weakness of my flesh by your divine assistance. "What have I to do," he says, "with you also, you sons of Zeruiah? Let Shimei curse. The Lord has bidden him to curse David. And who shall say to him, 'Why have you done so?' " For the will of God is not to be discussed but kindly accepted.… Therefore, the commandments of God are possible, which we know David had kept; and, yet, we find holy people growing weary in maintaining justice forever.”

2 Samuel 16:10

“Because the Lord hath said - The particle וכי vechi should be translated for if, not because. For If the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David, who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so!”

2 Samuel 16:10

“And this is ground enough for this expression, the Lord said, not by the word of his precept, but by the word of his providence, in respect whereof he is said to command the ravens, 1 Kings xvii, 4, and to send forth his word to senseless creatures, Psalm 1xlvii, 15, 18.”

2 Samuel 16:11

“Let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him - No soul of man can suppose that ever God bade one man to curse another, much less that he commanded such a wretch as Shimei to curse such a man as David; but this is a peculiarity of the Hebrew language, which does not always distinguish between permission and commandment. Often the Scripture attributes to God what he only permits to be done; or what in the course of his providence he does not hinder. David, however, considers all this as being permitted of God for his chastisement and humiliation.”

2 Samuel 16:11

“As it was Shimei's sin, it was not from God, but from the devil and his own wicked heart, nor did God's hand in it excuse or extenuate it, much less justify it, any more than it did the sin of those who put Christ to death, Acts ii. But, as it was David's affliction, it was from the Lord, one of the evils which he raised up against him.”

2 Samuel 16:12

“It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction,.... Through the rebellion of his son, and now aggravated by the cursing of Shimei; that is, with an eye of pity and commiseration, and deliver him out of it: or "look upon my eye" (x); for there is a various reading; the tear of mine eye, as the Targum; so Jarchi and R.”

2 Samuel 16:12

“His cursing - Another reading has “my curse,” i. e., the curse that has fallen upon me. David recognizes in every word and action that he was receiving the due reward of his sin, and that which Nathan had foretold.”

2 Samuel 16:13

“If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? It was an aggravation of his wickedness that David was attended with his mighty men on his right hand and on his left, so that he was not in so forlorn a condition as he thought ( persecuted but not forsaken ), and that he continued to do it, and did it the more passionately, for David's bearing it patiently.”

2 Samuel 16:14

“And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary,.... With their journey, and through grief and trouble at what they met with: and refreshed themselves there: that is, at Bahurim, with food and rest; which revived their spirits, and put as it were new life and soul into them, as the word used signifies. Josephus (y) says, when David came to Jordan, he refreshed his weary men. (y) Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 4.”

2 Samuel 16:15

“The men of Israel - These words are wanting in the Chaldee, Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, and Arabic, and in two of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS.”

2 Samuel 16:15-19

“Professing, however, with great address, to consider it his duty to support the cause which the course of Providence and the national will had seemingly decreed should triumph, and urging his friendship for the father as a ground of confidence in his fidelity to the son, he persuaded Absalom of his sincerity, and was admitted among the councillors of the new king.”

2 Samuel 16:16

“What arts of dissimulation are those tempted to use who govern themselves by fleshly wisdom! and how happy are those who have not known these depths of Satan, but have their conversation in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity! Absalom was surprised to find him for him who was known to be David's intimate friend and confidant.”

2 Samuel 16:17

“Is this - Doth this action answer that profession of friendship which thou hast hitherto made to him? He speaks thus only to try him. And he saith, thy friend, by way of reflection upon David; as one who was a friend to Hushai, and to strangers but not to his own son, whom, by his severity he provoked to this course; and therefore he doth not vouchsafe to call him his father.”

2 Samuel 16:18

“Whom the Lord and this people - choose - Here is an equivocation; Hushai meant in his heart that God and all the people of Israel had chosen David; but he spake so as to make Absalom believe that he spoke of him: for whatever of insincerity may appear in this, Hushai is alone answerable. What he says afterwards may be understood in the same way.”

2 Samuel 16:19

“Thus he pretended to give reasons for a resolution he abhorred the thought of. Ahithophel counselled him to do wickedly, and so did as effectually betray him as he did who was designedly false to him; for those that advise men to sin certainly advise them to their hurt; and that government which is founded in sin is founded in the sand.”

2 Samuel 16:20

“Then said Absalom to Ahithophel,.... Having two such able counsellors as he and Hushai, he directs his speech to Ahithophel, as being his first and chief counsellor: give counsel among you what we shall do; he orders them to form a counsel, consult among themselves what was proper to be now done at Jerusalem, whether it was right to stay here or pursue after David and his men. Absalom did not send to the high priest to ask counsel of God, by Urim and Thummim before the ark, but wholly confided in his privy council.”

2 Samuel 16:20

“Give counsel among you what we shall do--This is the first cabinet council on record, although the deference paid to Ahithophel gave him the entire direction of the proceedings.”

2 Samuel 16:21

“Taking possession of the harem was the most decided act of sovereignty (see 1Ki 2:22). It was also the greatest offence and insult that could be offered. Such an act on Absalom’s part made reconciliation impossible. A further motive has been found in this advice, namely, the desire on the part of Ahithophel to make David taste the bitterness of that cup which he had caused others (Uriah and all Bath-sheba’s family) to drink, and receive the measure which he had meted withal.”

2 Samuel 16:21

“The apostle speaks of it as a piece of villany not so much as named among the Gentiles, 1 Cor. v. 1 . Reuben lost his birthright for it. But Ahithophel advised Absalom to it as a public thing, because it would give assurance to all Israel, [1.] That he was in good earnest in his pretensions.”

2 Samuel 16:22

“So they spread Absalom a tent on the top of the house,.... On the top of his father's palace; this, as houses in Jerusalem and Judea were, was built flat, Deu 22:8; and it was on the very spot from whence David had a sight of Bathsheba, and conceived an impure lust after her.”

2 Samuel 16:22

“Israel - Who saw him go into the tent; and thence concluded, that he lay with them, as he had designed to do. God had threatened by Nathan, that for his defiling Bathsheba, David's own wives should be defiled in the face of the sun. This is now fulfilled: the Lord is righteous; and no word of his shall fall to the ground.”

2 Samuel 16:23

“Let us observe from this account of Ahithophel's fame for policy, (1.) That many excel in worldly wisdom who are utterly destitute of heavenly grace, because those who set up for oracles themselves are apt to despise the oracles of God. God has chosen the foolish things of the world; and the greatest statesmen are seldom the greatest saints.”