2 Samuel 19:41-43

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 19:41

And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king ,.... A large number of them, the other part that did not come over with David, some of their principal men, who met him upon the road: and said unto the king, why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen thee away ; secretly, privately, and unknown to them, and were bringing him back to Jerusalem: and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan ? him, and his family, and soldiers. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:42

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel ,.... Such of them as went down to fetch the king back, replied to the men of Israel that now met them, and objected to their conduct: because the king is near of kin to us ; being of their tribe, and his palace was within their borders, and therefore they were proper persons to bring him home: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter ? for bringing the king back, and being the first in it; for who so proper as they, not only to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:43

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said ,.... They replied to them, as follows: we have ten parts in the king ; being ten tribes, reckoning Simeon in the tribe of Judah, within which it lay, Joshua 19:1 , and we have, also more right in David than ye ; being more numerous than they; or, according to the Targum, they had more affection and good will towards David than the men of Judah, though he was of their tribe, and dwelt among them; since the rebellion was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 19:42

Wherefore then be ye angry for this matter ? - We have not done this for our own advantage; we have gained nothing by it; we did it through loyal attachment to our king. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 19:43

We have ten parts in the king , and - more right - We are ten tribes to one, or we are ten times so many as you; and consequently should have been consulted in this business. The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel - They had more weight, for they had more reason on their side. It is pleasant when every province, canton, district, and county, vie with each other in personal attachment to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:31-43

The facts are: 1 . Barzillai, having provided sustenance for David while he was at Mahanaim, and accompanying him over Jordan, is entreated to go and live with him at Jerusalem. 2 . Barzillai, having no relish for the kind of life which he thought prevailed at court, pleads age and infirmity and a fear of being an incumbrance to David, as a reason for not complying with his request, but asks that his own son Chimham may be permitted to go. 3 . David consents, promises to do for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:41

Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away? Why, that is, have they acted by stealth and without our concurrence? As they were discussing the matter, their decision should have been awaited, and David should not have crossed until formally invited so to do. The half of Israel consisted, probably, of the trans-Jordanic tribes, upon whom those on the west of the river looked contemptuously, and of Shimei and his Benjamites, and a few more in the immediate neighbourhood. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:42

The king is near of kin to us. The pronouns are singular throughout: "He is near of kin to me. Why art thou angry? Have I eaten … I have ten parts … Why didst thou despise me?" and so everywhere. This is much more piquant; but such personification is contrary to the genius of our language. Have I eaten, etc.? Saul had boasted of enriching the Benjamites ( 1 Samuel 22:7 ), but probably the speaker intended only to protest the purity of his motives. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 19:43

I have ten parts in the king. One tribe disappears, which certainly was not Benjamin; nor was this warlike state thus early awed into obedience to Judah. In 1 Kings 11:31 , 1 Kings 11:35 , again, we have ten tribes given to Jeroboam, and here, also, not only must Benjamin be counted, but be included in the tribes rent from the house of David. The tribe that had disappeared was that of Simeon, partly lost among the desert races south of the Negeb, and partly absorbed by Judah. Its... read more

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