2 Samuel 12:29-30

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:26-31

We have here an account of the conquest of Rabbah, and other cities of the Ammonites. Though this comes in here after the birth of David's child, yet it is most probable that it was effected a good while before, and soon after the death of Uriah, perhaps during the days of Bath-sheba's mourning for him. Observe, 1. That God was very gracious in giving David this great success against his enemies, notwithstanding the sin he had been guilty of just at that time when he was engaged in this war,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:29

And David gathered all the people together ,.... The soldiers that were with him, or near him; which was done partly to recruit Joab's troops, who, by the continuance of the siege, and the sallies of the enemy on them, might be greatly diminished; and partly to make conquests of other cities of the Ammonites, and to carry off the spoil of them: and went to Rabbah ; which must be after the death of Uriah, and very probably during the time of Bathsheba's mourning for him: and fought... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:30

And he took their king's crown from off his head ,.... The crown of Hanun the king of the Ammonites, who now fell into his hands, and whom he stripped of his ensigns of royalty, who had so shamefully abused his ambassadors, 2 Samuel 10:4 , (the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones) : or, "and a precious stone"; there might be more, as our version suggests, but there was one in it remarkably large and valuable; Josephus F2 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 7.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 12:30

The weight whereof was a talent of gold - If this talent was only seven pounds, as Whiston says, David might have carried it on his head with little difficulty; but this weight, according to common computation, would amount to more than one hundred pounds! If, however, משקלה mishkalah be taken for the value, not the weight then all is plain as the worth of the crown will be about £5075 15s. 7d. sterling. Now this seems to be the true sense, because of the added words with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:15-31

The facts are: 1 . The child born to David becoming very sick, he entreats God for its life by prayer and fasting. 2 . He persists in refusing the consolations which the elders of his household offer him. 3 . The child dying on the seventh day and David observing the whisperings of his servants, at once ascertains by direct inquiry the certainty of it. 4 . His servants noticing that, on ascertaining the fact of the child's death, he lays aside the tokens of grief and resumes... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:26-31

( 1 Chronicles 20:1-8 :l-3) The fall of Rabbah. This event, which occurred after a two years' siege, between the fall of David and his repentance, presents several significant contrasts. 1 . Material success associated with moral failure. His army victorious, his enterprise terminating in triumph; David himself overcome by temptation, and troubled with a guilty conscience. Worldly success and prosperity are no true measure of moral worth and inward peace and happiness. 2 . ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 12:30

Their king; Hebrew, Malcam. This is another mode of spelling Milcom, the god of the Ammonites, and is found also in Zephaniah 1:5 , and probably in Jeremiah 49:1 , Jeremiah 49:3 ; Amos 1:15 . Strictly, Milcom or Malcom is a proper name for the supreme deity, formed from the word melec , a king, or, as it was pronounced in other Semitic dialects, Moloch. Grammatically, Malcam also means "their king," and even so belongs to Milcom . For the crown weighed a hundred pounds, a... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Samuel 12:30

Their king’s crown - The word rendered their king (Malcham) is also the name of the national idol of the Ammonites (Jeremiah 49:1, Jeremiah 49:3 margin; Amos 1:15; Zephaniah 1:5). Moreover, the weight of the crown, which is calculated to be equal to 100 or 125 pounds weight, is far too great for a man to wear. On the whole, it seems most probable that the idol Malcam is here meant. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Samuel 12:29

2 Samuel 12:29. David gathered all the people and went The reader will naturally observe that this was an expedition which came very seasonably to relieve David in his distress, and to revive his glory in arms. And if Joab considered it in this light, as in all probability he did, the praise of his generosity is still more ennobled in this view. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Samuel 12:30

2 Samuel 12:30. He took the king’s crown from off his head This was the king’s part of the spoil. The weight thereof was a talent of gold Or, rather, the price or value of it, as the Hebrew frequently signifies, and not only weight; and so it is to be taken here; for who could be able to carry on his head such a weight as a talent; which is computed to be one hundred and twenty-five pounds. With precious stones Which made the value of it so great. Josephus says that there was a stone of... read more

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