2 Samuel 16:5-19

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Absalom had notice sent him speedily by some of his friends at Jerusalem that David had withdrawn, and with what a small retinue he had gone; so that the coasts were clear, Absalom might take possession of Jerusalem when he pleased.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 16:5

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:11

And David said to Abishai, and all his servants ,.... In order to make them easy, and reconcile them to this usage of him: behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life ; meaning Absalom: how much more now may this Benjamite do it ? who was not only of the same tribe that Saul was, but of the same family, and so bore an ill will to David because of his succession in the throne: let him alone, and let him curse ; do nothing to restrain him, not even by words,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 16:12

It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction ,.... Through the rebellion of his son, and now aggravated by the cursing of Shimei; that is, with an eye of pity and commiseration, and deliver him out of it: or "look upon my eye" F24 בעיני "in oculum meum", Montanus; "oculum meum lachrymantem", Munster. ; for there is a various reading; the tear of mine eye, as the Targum; so Jarchi and R. Isaiah; the tears in it, which fell plentifully from it, on account of his troubles, and... read more

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