Advanced Commentary

Texts -- 2 Samuel 16:1-23 (NET)

Context
David Receives Gifts from Ziba
16:1 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit , Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled , and on them were two hundred loaves of bread , a hundred raisin cakes , a hundred baskets of summer fruit , and a container of wine . 16:2 The king asked Ziba , “Why did you bring these things?” Ziba replied , “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat , and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert .” 16:3 The king asked , “Where is your master’s grandson ?” Ziba replied to the king , “He remains in Jerusalem , for he said , ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom .’” 16:4 The king said to Ziba , “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied , “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight , my lord the king .”
Shimei Curses David and His Men
16:5 Then King David reached Bahurim . There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out , yelling curses as he approached. 16:6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants , as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left . 16:7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said , “Leave ! Leave ! You man of bloodshed , you wicked man ! 16:8 The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul , in whose place you rule . Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom . Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed !” 16:9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king , “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king ? Let me go over and cut off his head !” 16:10 But the king said , “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah ? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David !’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this ?’” 16:11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants , “My own son , my very own flesh and blood , is trying to take my life . So also now this Benjaminite ! Leave him alone so that he can curse , for the Lord has spoken to him. 16:12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse .” 16:13 So David and his men went on their way . But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them. 16:14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David refreshed himself.
The Advice of Ahithophel
16:15 Now when Absalom and all the men of Israel arrived in Jerusalem , Ahithophel was with him. 16:16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom , Hushai said to him , “Long live the king ! Long live the king !” 16:17 Absalom said to Hushai , “Do you call this loyalty to your friend ? Why didn’t you go with your friend ?” 16:18 Hushai replied to Absalom , “No , I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord , these people , and all the men of Israel have chosen . 16:19 Moreover , whom should I serve ? Should it not be his son ? Just as I served your father , so I will serve you.” 16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel , “Give us your advice . What should we do ?” 16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom , “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace . All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father . Then your followers will be motivated to support you.” 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof , and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel . 16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation . Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

more

Arts

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Jacob was not disobedient to God in leaving Bethel. God's instructions to go to Bethel and "live there"(v. 1) were evidently directions to dwell there while he fulfilled his vow. God did not command permanent residence there....
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Samuel)V. David's triumphs chs. 1-8A. The beginning of David's kingdom 1:1-3:51. David's discovery of Saul and Jonathan's deaths ch. 12. David's move to Hebron 2:1-4a3. David's overtures to Jabesh-g...
  • The first 20 chapters of 2 Samuel are divisible into four units each of which ends with a list of names that is four verses long (1:1-3:5; 3:6-5:16; 5:17-8:18; 9:1-20:26).2The first two units conclude with lists of David's so...
  • Abner was the strong man in Israel. Ish-bosheth was simply a figurehead (v. 11). Abner's loyalty to the house of Saul is clear from his actions so far. However there was conflict between Ish-bosheth and Abner. In the ancient ...
  • "Saul the king is dead, Jonathan the heir apparent is dead, Abinadab and Malki-Shua (two of Jonathan's brothers) are dead (1 Sam 31:2), Abner the commander of the army is dead--and no other viable claimants or pretenders cont...
  • "As the story of David's accession to kingship over Judah (1:1-3:5) parallels that of his accession to the throne of Israel (3:6-5:16), each concluding with a list of his sons (3:2-5; 5:13-16), so the account of his powerful ...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • At first, David piously tried to salve Joab's conscience for his complicity in Uriah's death (11:25). The Hebrew word translated "displease"literally means "be evil in your sight."David was calling what was sin something othe...
  • This is the longest literary section in the Court History of David (chs. 9-20). It records Absalom's antagonism to David that resulted in the king having to flee Jerusalem, but it ends with David's defeat of his enemy and his...
  • "David now encounters Ziba (vv. 1-4), the first of two men with links to the house of Saul (the other is Shimei [vv. 5-14]). Although Ziba attempts to ingratiate himself to him and Shimei curses him, David treats each with co...
  • This second descendant of Saul demonstrated a reaction to David that was the opposite of Ziba's. Ziba had been ingratiating and submissive, but Shimei, a "reptile of the royal house of Saul,"245was insulting and defiant (cf. ...
  • This is the central unit of chapters 5-20, and its central focus is the judgment that Hushai's advice was better than Ahithophel's (17:14). This advice is the pivot on which the fortunes of David swung in his dealings with Ab...
  • "In the overall structure of 15:1-20:22, the story of Absalom's death (18:1-18) provides a counterpoise to that of Shimei's curse (16:5-14 . . .). Just as in the earlier narrative an adversary of David (Shimei) curses him (vv...
  • "In the overall structure of chapters 15-20 (more precisely 15:1-20:22), the literary unit describing the return of King David' (v. 11) to Jerusalem (vv. 9-43) parallels that depicting his flight (15:13-37) caused by Absalom'...
  • "The account of Sheba's rebellion against David serves as a counterpoise to the story of Absalom's conspiracy (15:1-12) in chapters 15-20, which constitute the major part of the narrative that comprises chapters 13-20 (more p...
  • "With Joab's return to the king in Jerusalem, the grand symphony known as the Court History of David reaches its conclusion for all practical purposes (at least as far as the books of Samuel are concerned . . .). The last fou...
  • Achtemeier, Paul J., and Elizabeth Achtemeier. The Old Testament Roots of Our Faith. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.Ackerman, James S. "Knowing Good and Evil: A Literary Ananysis of the Court History in 2 Samuel 9-20 and ...
  • The first segment of the writer's story (1:1-2:12) continues the history of Israel's monarchy where 2 Samuel ended. It records the final events in David's reign that led to Solomon's succession to the throne. It answers the q...
  • Adonijah was David's fourth son (2 Sam. 3:4) and the eldest one living at this time. Evidently he believed it was more important that the eldest son succeed David, as was customary in the Near East, than that the king of Yahw...
  • David's words here state succinctly the philosophy of history the writer of Kings set forth in this book.27It is the philosophy David had learned and now commended to his son Solomon. Careful obedience to the Law of Moses wou...
  • David had warned Solomon to keep Shimei under close observation and to put him to death (vv. 8-9). Evidently David realized because of Shimei's past actions that it would only be a matter of time before he would do something ...
  • The title of this psalm identifies the writer as David. All but four of the psalms in Book 1 of the Psalter (Pss. 1-41) identify David as their writer, all except Psalms 1, 2, 10, and 33. The occasion of his writing this one ...
  • David continued to address the congregation of Israel, but presented the alternative to caring for the helpless with its consequences. He did this by relating a personal experience.41:4 David had been in need of help at some ...
  • 38:14 Shortly after this event Zedekiah had Jeremiah brought to him at one of the temple entrances, possibly the king's private entrance (cf. 2 Kings 16:18). He told the prophet that he was going to ask him a question and he ...
  • Chapter 8 not only contains two major messages from the Lord (vv. 1-17, 18-23) but 10 minor messages, "a decalogueof divine words,"155that make up the two major ones. "Thus says the Lord"introduces each of these minor message...
  • "This text is one of the most messianically significant passages of all the Bible, in both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Judaism sees in it a basis for a royal messianic expectation, whereas the NT and Christianity see...
  • 1:21 Capernaum became Jesus' base of ministry in Galilee (cf. Luke 4:16-31). It stood on the Sea of Galilee's northwest shore and was the hub of the most populous district in Galilee. Archaeologists have done extensive restor...
  • The first miracle that Jesus performed, in His public ministry and in John's Gospel, was semi-public. Apparently only Jesus' disciples, the servants present, and Jesus' mother understood what had happened.2:1 The third day ev...
  • 13:12 Jesus now returned to His role as the disciples' teacher, which His change of clothing and physical position indicated. He began to explain the significance of what He had done, though full comprehension would come to t...
Back to Commentary Page


TIP #26: Strengthen your daily devotional life with NET Bible Daily Reading Plan. [ALL]
created in 0.05 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA