2 Samuel 18:5-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:1-8

Which way David raised an army here, and what reinforcements were sent him, we are not told; many, it is likely, from all the coasts of Israel, at least from the neighbouring tribes, came in to his assistance, so that, by degrees, he was able to make head against Absalom, as Ahithophel foresaw. Now here we have, I. His army numbered and marshalled, 2 Sam. 18:1, 2. He had, no doubt, committed his cause to God by prayer, for that was his relief in all his afflictions; and then he took an account... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:9-18

Here is Absalom quite at a loss, at his wit's end first, and then at his life's end. He that began the fight, big with the expectation of triumphing over David himself, with whom, if he had had him in his power, he would not have dealt gently, is now in the greatest consternation, when he meets the servants of David, 2 Sam. 18:9. Though they were forbidden to meddle with him, he durst not look them in the face; but, finding they were near him, he clapped spurs to his mule and made the best of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:5

And the king commanded Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai ,.... His three generals, to whom he had committed his army divided into three parts: saying, deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom ; he does not call him his son, being in rebellion against him, but the young man, who was young, and rash, and foolish, and so to be pitied; his request is, that they would spare him, and not take away his life, when in their power; that they would not aim at him, and push him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:6

So the people went out into the field against Israel ,.... Josephus F5 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 10.) sect. 2. calls it a great field, with a wood behind it: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim ; or near it F6 ביער "ad sylvam", Junius & Tremellius; "prope sylvam", Piscator. rather; not in a wood in the tribe of Ephraim, which lay on this side Jordan; whereas this battle was fought on the other side Jordan, in the land of Gilead, not far from Mahanaim, where was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:7

Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David ,.... That is, the people of Israel that were under Absalom, these were beaten by David's army: and there was a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men ; including both those that fell in the field of battle, and that were slain in the pursuit; and this is to be understood only of Absalom's party. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:8

For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country ,.... Or the warriors were scattered, as the Targum; Absalom's soldiers, their ranks were broken, and they were thrown into the utmost confusion, and ran about here and there all over the field or plain in which the battle was fought, and into the neighbouring wood: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured ; there were more slain in it the in the field of battle, what by one thing or another; as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 18:9

And Absalom met the servants of David ,.... When his army was routed, he was in such a fright that he knew not which way to flee, and instead of flying from David's men, he fled in the way of them; but none of them attempted to slay him, nor even to stop him, but let him pass by them, knowing David's charge concerning him: and Absalom rode upon a mule ; as was common for great personages to do in those days, 2 Samuel 13:29 , and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 18:5

Deal gently - with the young man - David was the father of this worthless young man; and is it to be wondered at that he feels as a father? Who in his circumstances, that had such feelings as every man should have, would have felt, or acted otherwise? read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 18:7

Twenty thousand men - Whether these were slain on the field of battle, or whether they were reckoned with those slain in the wood of Ephraim, we know not. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 18:8

The wood devoured more people - It is generally supposed that, when the army was broken, they betook themselves to the wood, fell into pits, swamps, etc., and, being entangled, were hewn down by David's men; but the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, state that they were devoured by wild beasts in the wood. read more

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