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John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:26

And when he polled his head ,.... Or cut off the hair of it; for that was one thing, a good head of hair which he had, that made him look very comely and beautiful: for it was at every year's end that he polled it ; or cut it off once a year; but the Jews say F23 Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Nazir, c 1. sect. 2. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 194. 3. Gloss. T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 10. 2. he was a perpetual Nazarite: because the hair was heavy upon him, and therefore he polled... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:27

And unto Absalom there were born three sons ,.... Who very probably died young; and the rather it may be thought so, since their names are not given, and more especially since it is said that Absalom had no sons, and therefore erected a pillar to keep up the remembrance of his name; unless it can be thought that that was set up before he had any sons, which is not so likely; see 2 Samuel 18:18 , and one daughter, whose name was Tamar ; and whom he named after his sister Tamar, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:28

So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem ,.... After his return from Geshur: and saw not the king's face ; all that time; which was owing either to the king's resentment of the fact committed by him, or to state policy. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:29

Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king ,.... To introduce him into his presence, being uneasy to be thus confined at his own house, and not suffered to come to court: but he would not come to him ; knowing the king's mind, and being unwilling to disoblige him by a troublesome solicitation: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come ; knowing his business with him; and perhaps between the first time of his sending and this he had sounded the king... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:30

Therefore he said unto his servants ,.... That did his business for him in the field, in keeping his flocks, and tilling his ground: see Joab's field is near mine : for great personages in those days attended to husbandry: and he hath barley there, go and set it on fire ; it being ripe, and so capable of being fired, and therefore must be some time in March or April, when barley harvest began; he served Joab as Samson did the Philistines, Judges 15:4 ; which shows him to be a bold,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:31

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house ,.... Provoked at what he had done, and to know the reason of it; and which was answering Absalom's end: and said unto him, wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire ? which was not only injurious to his property, but a malicious action. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:32

And Absalom answered Joab ,.... Neither denying the fact, nor being ashamed of it, nor asking pardon for it; but endeavouring to vindicate it, by giving a reason as he thought sufficient for it: behold, I sent unto thee, saying, come hither, that I may send thee to the king ; which was assuming great authority over a person in such an high office as Joab was; had he been king, he could not have used more, to send for him, and command his attendance, and send him on what errand he thought... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 14:33

So Joab came to the king, and told him ,.... What Absalom had said to him: and when he had called for Absalom ; sent messengers to his house to order him to come to him: he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king ; made a very reverend bow to him, according to the custom of those times, throwing himself at his feet in great submission to him: and the king kissed Absalom ; in token of his reconciliation to him; which laid the foundation of his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 14

A woman of Tekoah, by the advice of Joab, comes to the king; and by a fictitious story persuades him to recall Absalom, vv. 1-20. Joab is permitted to go to Geshur, and bring Absalom from thence, 2 Samuel 14:21-23 . Absalom comes to Jerusalem to his own house, but is forbidden to see the king's face, 2 Samuel 14:24 . An account of Absalom's beauty, and the extraordinary weight of his hair, 2 Samuel 14:25 , 2 Samuel 14:26 . His children, 2 Samuel 14:27 . He strives to regain the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 14:2

Joab sent to Tekoah - Tekoah, according to St. Jerome, was a little city in the tribe of Judah, about twelve miles from Jerusalem. There are several circumstances relative to this woman and her case which deserve to be noticed: - She was a widow, and therefore her condition of life was the better calculated to excite compassion. She lived at some distance from Jerusalem, which rendered the case difficult to be readily inquired into; and consequently there was the less danger of... read more

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