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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

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:8

The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul ,.... Which he would suggest was shed by David, or, however, that he was the cause of its being shed; as if he had stirred up the Philistines to that battle in which Saul and his sons were slain, and had an hand secretly in the deaths of Ishbosheth and Abner, all which were false insinuations; and it may be the seven sons of Saul before this time, though after related, were delivered into the hands of the Gibeonites to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:9

Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king ,.... A sister's son of his, and a general in the army, who could not bear to hear the king abused in this manner: why should this dead dog curse my lord the king ? be suffered to do it with impunity; a "dog" he calls him, because of his vileness and baseness, and because of his impudence, and on account of his reproachful and abusive language, aptly signified by the snarling and barking of a dog; and a "dead" dog, as being useless,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:10

And the king said, what have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah ?.... It seems as if Joab, the brother of Abishai, joined with him in this request to have leave to take off the head of Shimei; and though David had to do with them as his relations, his sister's sons, and as they were generals in his army; yet in this case he would have nothing to do with them, would not take their advice, nor suffer them to take revenge on this man for his cursing him: or "what is it to me, or to you" ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 16:5

David came to Bahurim - This place lay northward of Jerusalem, in the tribe of Benjamin. It is called Almon, Joshua 21:18 ; and Alemeth, 1 Chronicles 6:60 . Bahurim signifies youths, and Almuth youth; so the names are of the same import. Cursed still as he came - Used imprecations and execrations. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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! read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:1-14

The facts are: 1 . David, passing on his way, is met by Ziba with a present for the king and his servants. 2 . On inquiring after Mephibosheth, David is told by Ziba that he was staying in Jerusalem in expectation that, as a result of the present revolt, the kingdom would be restored to him as representative of the house of Saul. 3 . Accepting this statement as correct, David assigns Mephibosheth's property ( 2 Samuel 9:9-12 ) to Ziba, who thereupon makes obeisance. 4 .... read more

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