And Sheva was scribe ,.... Either the same with Benaiah, or he was dead or removed, and Sheva was put in his place, see 2 Samuel 8:17 , and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests ; as before; See Gill on 2 Samuel 8:17 . read more
And Ira also the Jairite ,.... Which some take to be the same with Ira the Ithrite, 2 Samuel 23:38 ; a son of Jether or Ithra the Israelite, 2 Samuel 17:25 ; though others suppose he was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 2 Samuel 23:26 ; and so the Targum here calls him Ira the Jairite, which was of Tekoah; and Tekoah being the chief place in Israel for oil olive F4 Misn. Menachot, c. 8. sect. 3. , with which the lamps were lighted, Jarchi thinks he had the name of Jairite from... read more
Shevah was scribe - The king's secretary. read more
Ira - was a chief ruler about David - The Hebrew is לדויד כהן cohen ledavid , a priest to David; and so the Vulgate, Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic. The Chaldee has רב rab , a prince, or chief. He was probably a sort of domestic chaplain to the king. We know that the kings of Judah had their seers, which is nearly the same: Gad was David's seer, 2 Samuel 24:11 , and Jeduthun was the seer of King Josiah, 2 Chronicles 35:16 . The conclusion of this chapter is very... read more
The causes and remedies of religious strife. The facts are: 1 . Joab and his forces, pursuing Sheba till they came upon him in the city of Abel, lay siege to it. 2 . A wise woman of the city remonstrates with Joab for attacking the city, and refers to the fact that when Sheba with his armed followers threw themselves into the city, the people felt sure that when the pursuing foes came up they would open negotiations with the authorities, and so bring the conflict to an end. 3 .... read more
Sheva . He is called Seraiah in 2 Samuel 8:17 . read more
Ira … was a chief ruler; Hebrew, cohen, priest, minister (see on this term, 2 Samuel 8:18 ). We there find David's sons holding this confidential office; but the feuds which resulted from David's sin had destroyed the concord of the family, and the usefulness of David's children. In their degradation from this office we see also a preparation for their being set aside from the succession, and the throne given to Solomon. ADDITIONAL NOTE With this chapter ends the second section... read more
Ira the Jairite - Not mentioned before: perhaps the same as “Ira an Ithrite” (marginal reference), i. e., an inhabitant of Jattir in the hill country of Judah Joshua 15:48; 1 Samuel 30:27. Perhaps we ought to read “Ithrite,” for “Jairite.”A chief ruler ... about David - More simply and clearly, “was David’s kohen” (2 Samuel 8:18 note). In the early part oph David’s reign his own ons were כהן kôhên (chief rulers). The deaths of Amnon and Absalom, and the dissensions in the family, had probably... read more
Sheba’s revolt (20:1-26)With virtually the whole nation in a state of unrest, Sheba, a Benjaminite, seized the opportunity to try to lead the northern tribes to break away from David (20:1-2). Being anxious to re-establish his kingdom in Jerusalem, David did not leave the city but sent his new commander-in-chief Amasa to assemble the army and pursue Sheba (3-4).When Amasa was slow in assembling the army, David sent off his private army, the fighting force that had been with him since the days... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 20:23-26
Here is an account of the state of David's court after his restoration. Joab retained the office of general, being too great to be displaced. Benaiah, as before, was captain of the guards. Here is one new office erected, which we had not (2 Sam. 8:16-18), that of treasurer, or one over the tribute, for it was not till towards the latter end of his time that David began to raise taxes. Adoram was long in this office, but it cost him his life at last, 1 Kgs. 12:18. read more