2 Samuel 16:1-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:1-4

We read before how kind David was to Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, how he prudently entrusted his servant Ziba with the management of his estate, while he generously entertained him at his own table, 2 Sam. 9:10. This matter was well settled; but, it seems, Ziba is not content to be manager, he longs to be master, of Mephibosheth's estate. Now, he thinks, is his time to make himself so; if he can procure a grant of it from the crown, whether David or Absalom get the better it is all one to... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:5-14

We here find how David bore Shimei's curses much better than he had borne Ziba's flatteries. By the latter he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by the former to pass a right judgment on himself. The world's smiles are more dangerous than its frowns. Observe here, I. How insolent and furious Shimei was, and how his malice took occasion from David's present distress to be so much the more outrageous. David, in his flight, had come to Bahurim, a city of Benjamin in or near which... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:15-23

Absalom had notice sent him speedily by some of his friends at Jerusalem that David had withdrawn, and with what a small retinue he had gone; so that the coasts were clear, Absalom might take possession of Jerusalem when he pleased. The gates were open, and there was none to oppose him. Accordingly he came without delay (2 Sam. 16:15), extremely elevated, no doubt, with this success at first, and that that in which, when he formed his design, he probably apprehended the greatest difficulty,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:1

And when David was a little past the top of the hill ,.... Of the mount of Olives, the ascent of which he is said to go up by, and to come to the top of it, 2 Samuel 15:30 , behold, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, met him ; of whom see 2 Samuel 9:2 ; with a couple of asses saddled : and so fit to ride on, but for the present he used them to another purpose: and upon them two hundred loaves of bread ; an hundred on each ass very probably: and an hundred bunches of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:2

And the king said unto Ziba, what meanest thou by these ?.... Are they to be said, or are they presents? and Ziba said, the asses be for the king's household to ride on ; for himself, his wives, and children, his courtiers, and the principal officers of his house; it being usual in those times and countries for great personages to ride on asses, see Judges 5:10 , and the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat ; the king's menial servants, his guards and his soldiers: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:3

And the king said, and where is thy master's son ?.... The son of Saul, who was Ziba's master, meaning Mephibosheth: and Ziba said unto the king, behold, he abideth at Jerusalem ; as there was reason for it, since he was lame of both his feet, 2 Samuel 9:13 , though he could have rode upon an ass, and followed the king, as he proposed to do; but his servant deceived him, and carried off the asses to serve a purpose for himself, see 2 Samuel 19:26 , for he said, today shall the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:4

Then said the king to Ziba, behold, thine are all that pertaineth to Mephibosheth ,.... Being forfeited to the king by an overt act of treason as they had been before by the rebellion of Ishbosheth, but had been graciously restored to Mephibosheth; and had it been true what Ziba suggested, it would have been a righteous thing to have taken them from him; though it seems to be too hasty a step in David to take and give them away without further inquiry: and Ziba said, I humbly beseech... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:5

And when King David came to Bahurim ,.... The Targum is, Alemath, perhaps the same that is said to be a city of the Levites, given unto them out of the tribe of Benjamin, 1 Chronicles 6:60 for the man next described, who was of this place, was a Benjaminite, 2 Samuel 19:16 ; See Gill on 2 Samuel 3:16 ; David was not yet come to the city itself, but into the neighbourhood of it, the fields adjacent to it: and behold, thence came out a man of the family of Saul ; a descendant of a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:6

And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David ,.... Not that he was within the reach of them, or could hurt them, by casting them at them; but this he did to show his contempt of them, and to intimate that they deserved to be stoned, and especially David, at whose adultery he might point by it: and all the people, and all the mighty men were on his right hand , and on his left ; that is, of David; which is observed, not so much to indicate the safety of David's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:7

And thus said Shimei, when he cursed, come out, come out ,.... Or rather, "go out, go out" F20 צא צא "egredere, egredere", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.; ; that is, out of the nation, where he deserved not to live, as he judged, and out of the kingdom, which he had usurped, as he supposed; and the repeating the words not only denotes his vehement desire to have him gone, but the haste he should make to get out, or he was liable to be overtaken by Absalom and his forces; upbraiding... read more

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