2 Samuel 19:16-43

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:16-23

Perhaps Jordan was never passed with so much solemnity, nor with so many remarkable occurrences, as it was now, since Israel passed it under Joshua. David, in his afflictive flight, remembered God particularly from the land of Jordan (Ps. 42:6), and now that land, more than any other, was graced with the glories of his return. David's soldiers furnished themselves with accommodations for their passage over this river, but, for his own family, a ferry-boat was sent on purpose, 2 Sam. 19:18. A... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:24-30

The day of David's return was a day of bringing to remembrance, a day of account, in which what had passed in his flight was called over again; among other things, after the case of Shimei, that of Mephibosheth comes to be enquired into, and he himself brings it on. I. He went down in the crowd to meet the king (2 Sam. 19:24), and as a proof of the sincerity of his joy in the king's return, we are here told what a true mourner he was for the king's banishment. During that melancholy time, when... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:31-39

David had already graced the triumphs of his restoration with the generous remission of the injuries that had been done to him; we have him here gracing them with a no less generous reward of the kindnesses that had been shown to him. Barzillai, the Gileadite, who had a noble seat at Rogelim, not far from Mahanaim, was the man who, of all the nobility and gentry of that country, had been most kind to David in his distress. If Absalom had prevailed, it is likely he would have suffered for his... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:40-43

David came over Jordan attended and assisted only by the men of Judah; but when he had advanced as far as Gilgal, the first stage on this side Jordan, half the people of Israel (that is, of their elders and great men) had come to wait upon him, to kiss his hand, and congratulate him on his return, but found they came too late to witness the solemnity of his first entrance. This put them out of humour, and occasioned a quarrel between them and the men of Judah, which was a damp to the joy of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:16

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim ,.... Of whom see 2 Samuel 16:5 , hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David : he took the first opportunity to meet the king, and ask his pardon for his ill treatment of him when he fled from Jerusalem; for, hearing: that Absalom was slain, and the victory was on the side of David, who was returning in triumph, he thought it advisable as soon as possible to make his submission, and entreat forgiveness,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:17

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him ,.... Of which tribe he was, and these were either a band of soldiers, of which he was the chiliarch; or tenants of his, which showed him to be a great man; or his neighbours, and persons of some figure, whom he prevailed upon to come as intercessors for him: and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul ; who had imposed upon David, and got his master's inheritance from him, knowing that David would be undeceived by Mephibosheth his master,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:18

And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household ,.... His wives and children, who could not so well ford the river on foot: some will have this to be a bridge of boats, a pontoon; and Abarbinel thinks it might be a company of men, who carried the women and children on their shoulders, one after another: and to do what he thought good ; to carry over whatever else the king pleased, besides his family: and Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:19

And said unto the king, let not my lord the king impute iniquity unto me ,.... That is, deal with him according to the desert of it, punish him for it, but forgive it: for non-imputation of sin is in effect the pardon of it: neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day my lord the king went out of Jerusalem : he desires that he would not only forgive, but forget it; he owns it was a perverse action, and aggravated by being done at the time when the king was in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:20

For thy servant doth know that I have sinned ,.... He was sensible of it, and sorry for it, and publicly acknowledged it before all the men he brought with him, and before all the servants of David; and as a token of the sincerity of his repentance, and as an earnest of his future fidelity, he made this early submission: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king ; but why does he make mention of the house of Joseph,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:21

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said ,.... The same person that would have taken off the head of Shimei at the time he cursed David, if he would have given him leave, 2 Samuel 16:9 , shall not Shimei be put to death for this ? this humiliation and acknowledgment he has made, shall he be forgiven on that account? shall so small a matter as this atone for so great a crime he has been guilty of, as that he shall not die? because or "though" F12 כי , "quamvis, vel cum... read more

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