2 Samuel 19:24-30

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:24

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king ,.... Not down to Jordan, but Jerusalem; when the king was come thither, he came from his own dwelling to the king's palace; he is called the son of Saul, though he was his grandson, and grandsons are sometimes called sons; though in the Septuagint it is, the son's son of Saul; and the Syriac and Arabic versions are, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul: and had neither dressed his feet ; had not cut his nails, as the Septuagint... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:25

And it came to pass, when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king ,.... Perhaps from the place where his estate was; or, as the Arabic version, when he came from Jerusalem, from whence he went a little way to meet the king, as he was coming thither; for it was said he abode at Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 16:3 , that the king said unto him, wherefore wentest not thou with me , Mephibosheth ? when he departed from Jerusalem, being obliged to flee from thence because of Absalom; it is very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:26

And he answered, my lord, O king, my servant deceived me ,.... His servant Ziba, who, instead of saddling an ass for him by his order, went off with that and another himself, 2 Samuel 16:1 ; for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass ; he not only determined this in his own mind, but gave orders to his servant to saddle one for him: that I may ride thereon, and go to the king, because thy servant is lame ; and could not walk afoot, being lame of both his feet, 2 Samuel 4:4 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:27

And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king ,.... By suggesting that he stayed at Jerusalem with a view to the kingdom, hoping that the quarrel between David and Absalom would issue in the restoration of it to his father's family; which was a mere calumny, he having had no such thought, nor was there any foundation for it: but my lord the king is an angel of God ; for understanding and wisdom, to discern the falsehood of such suggestions: do therefore what is good in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:28

For all of my, father's house were but dead men before my lord the king ,.... Or "men of death" F13 אנשי מות "viris mortis", Montanus. ; worthy of death, not on account of Saul's persecution, for which his family did not deserve to suffer; rather for the attempt of Ishbosheth to get the kingdom from him, which might be deemed treason, and so the family was tainted for it; though the sense may be only this, that their lives lay at his mercy, and that if he had dealt with rigour... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:29

And the king said unto him, why speakest thou any more of thy matters ?.... Of his father's family, and the injuries done by them to David, and of the benefits and favours which he had received from David, or of his temporal affairs, of his estate, which David had given away to Ziba: I have said, thou and Ziba divide the land ; revoking his last grant to Ziba, which gave him all that belonged to Mephibosheth, 2 Samuel 16:4 ; he established his first decree, that Ziba should have half... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:30

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, yea, let him take all ,.... The whole estate, as David had given it to him; he was content that that last grant should stand: forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house ; his palace in Jerusalem; which was a strong expression of affection for him, and loyalty to him. (Solomn used a similar test to determine which woman's baby was alive. 1 Kings 3:16 . He purposed the baby be cut in two to reveal who the real mother was.... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 19:24

Neither dressed his feet - He had given the fullest proof of his sincere attachment to David and his cause; and by what he had done, amply refuted the calumnies of his servant Ziba. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 19:27

The king is as an angel of God - As if he had said, I state my case plainly and without guile; thou art too wise not to penetrate the motives from which both myself and servant have acted. I shall make no appeal; with whatsoever thou determinest I shall rest contented. read more

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