Verse 34
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture ,.... Not aiming at the king of Israel, or knowing whereabout he was. In the Targum on 2 Chronicles 18:33 , this man is said to be Naaman, the general of the army of the king of Syria, and so Jarchi here; but though he did this in his simplicity, as the word signifies, without any intention to smite any particular person; yet God directed the arrow to the man he had marked for destruction, and neither his disguise, nor coat of mail, could secure from that:
and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness : of which the pieces of armour on him were joined together, the higher and lower parts of it, the breastplate, and what covered the belly; and though these were joined as close as they were capable of joining them in those times, yet the arrow, guided by divine Providence, found its way into his body:
wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, turn thine hand ; or hands, with which he held the reins, and turn the horses on one side:
and carry me out of the host ; where the battle was hottest, to a place more remote and private, that he might have the wound examined, and the blood stopped, and return again, as it seems he did:
for I am wounded ; or rather "I am sick" F19 החליתי "aegrotare factus sum", Vatablus; "aegrotus factus sum", Junius & Tremellius. , or ill, as the Targum; somewhat out of order, and therefore chose to retire a little while; not caring it should be known that he was smitten and wounded, lest his soldiers should be disheartened.
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