And a certain man saw it ,.... Saw him in the above posture, one of David's soldiers: and told Joab, and said, behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak ; caught by the neck in one, out of which he could not disengage himself, but there he hung, though alive. read more
And Joab said unto the man that told him ,.... That gave the above account of him: and, behold, thou sawest him ; in reality; or, "didst thou see him?" is it a fact? and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground ; kill him on the spot, that he might have dropped from the tree to the ground: and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver ; on the news of it, for doing it, which was near twenty four shillings of our money; Josephus says F9 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7.... read more
And the man said unto Joab ,.... Disdaining his proposal: though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand ; or such a sum should be offered to me; the Arabic version is a million: yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son ; to smite him, and slay him: for in our hearing the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai ; his three generals: saying, beware that none touch the young man Absalom ; so as to slay him; they were charged to abstain... read more
Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life ,.... Or "soul"; he should not only have exposed his life to danger, but acted falsely to the king, by going contrary to his orders; yea, would have done that which was contrary to his own conscience; and if he had buoyed himself up with the hope of impunity, or of a reward, he should have found himself mistaken; the textual reading is, "against his life" F12 בנפשו εν τη ψυχη αυτου , Sept. "contra animam illius",... read more
Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee ,.... It is not worth while to talk with thee any longer, nor must I lose time, and neglect my opportunity; I do not desire you to go and smite him, I will go and do it myself: and he took three darts in his hand ; or three rods, which were either all iron, or however the tops of them were iron spikes: and thrust them through the heart of Absalom ; or through the midst of his body; for if he had thrust through his heart, properly... read more
And ten young men that bare Joab's armour ,.... That waited upon him in the battle, to carry his armour, and supply him with it as he should have occasion; these, by his orders: compassed about, and smote Absalom, and slew him ; they enclosed him that none might rescue him, and smote him with their spears or swords, or whatsoever armour they had, until it was a clear case that he was really dead. Joab in this disobeyed the king's order, but provided for the good of the nation, and the... read more
And Joab blew the trumpet ,.... As the sign of a retreat: and the people returned from pursuing after Israel ; upon the sound of the trumpet, the meaning of which they understood: for Joab held back the people : from shedding any more blood; the head of the conspiracy being removed, the thing would be crushed at once; and Joab neither chose to slay any more, nor take any prisoners, to be tried as traitors, being unawares, without thought, drawn into this rebellion. read more
And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood ,.... In the wood of Ephraim, near to which the battle was fought, and into which Absalom fled, and where he was slain: and laid a very great heap of stones upon him : his punishment was very exemplary; he was first hanged on an oak, and then thrust through with darts, and swords, and then covered with stones, 2 Samuel 18:9 , pointing to the death that a rebellious son, according to the law, ought to die, Deuteronomy... read more
And set captains of thousands - By this time David's small company was greatly recruited; but what its number was we cannot tell. Josephus says it amounted to four thousand men. Others have supposed that they amounted to ten thousand; for thus they understand a clause in 2 Samuel 18:3 , which they think should be read, We are now ten thousand strong. read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:9
And Absalom met the servants of David ,.... When his army was routed, he was in such a fright that he knew not which way to flee, and instead of flying from David's men, he fled in the way of them; but none of them attempted to slay him, nor even to stop him, but let him pass by them, knowing David's charge concerning him: and Absalom rode upon a mule ; as was common for great personages to do in those days, 2 Samuel 13:29 , and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak ;... read more