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Texts -- 2 Samuel 19:1-32 (NET)

Context
19:1 Joab was told , “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom .” 19:2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day , “The king is grieved over his son .” 19:3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle . 19:4 The king covered his face and cried out loudly , “My son , Absalom ! Absalom , my son , my son !” 19:5 So Joab visited the king at his home . He said , “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day , as well as the lives of your sons , your daughters , your wives , and your concubines . 19:6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends ! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today , it would be all right with you. 19:7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to your servants . For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight ! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time !”
David Goes Back to Jerusalem
19:8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate . When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate , they all came before him . But the Israelite soldiers had all fled to their own homes . 19:9 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying , “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies . He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines , but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom . 19:10 But Absalom , whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle . So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back ?” 19:11 Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying , “Tell the elders of Judah , ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace , when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention. 19:12 You are my brothers – my very own flesh and blood ! Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back ?’ 19:13 Say to Amasa , ‘Are you not my flesh and blood ? God will punish me severely , if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab !’” 19:14 He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man . Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return , you and all your servants as well.” 19:15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan River . Now the people of Judah had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him cross the Jordan . 19:16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David . 19:17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant of Saul’s household , and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants . They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king . 19:18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate . Now after he had crossed the Jordan , Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king . 19:19 He said to the king , “Don’t think badly of me, my lord , and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king , left Jerusalem ! Please don’t call it to mind ! 19:20 For I, your servant , know that I sinned , and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king .” 19:21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied , “For this should not Shimei be put to death ? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed !” 19:22 But David said , “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah ? You are like my enemy today ! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today ? Don’t you realize that today I am king over Israel ?” 19:23 The king said to Shimei , “You won’t die .” The king vowed an oath concerning this. 19:24 Now Mephibosheth , Saul’s grandson , came down to meet the king . From the day the king had left until the day he safely returned , Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet nor trimmed his mustache nor washed his clothes . 19:25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king , the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth ?” 19:26 He replied , “My lord the king , my servant deceived me! I said , ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king ,’ for I am lame . 19:27 But my servant has slandered me to my lord the king . But my lord the king is like an angel of God . Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 19:28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather who did not deserve death from my lord the king . But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table ! What further claim do I have to ask the king for anything ?” 19:29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together .” 19:30 Mephibosheth said to the king , “Let him have the whole thing ! My lord the king has returned safely to his house !” 19:31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim , he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there . 19:32 But Barzillai was very old – eighty years old , in fact– and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim , for he was a very rich man .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Benjamin

    [ebd] son of my right hand. (1.) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel (Gen. 35:18). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place. His mother died in giving him ...
    [isbe] BENJAMIN - ben'-ja-min (binyamin, or binyamin; Beniaein, Beniamin): 1. The Patriarch: The youngest of Jacob's sons. His mother Rachel died in giving him birth. As she felt death approaching she called him Benoni, "son of my ...
    [nave] BENJAMIN 1. Son of Jacob by Rachel, Gen. 35:18, 24; 46:19. Taken into Egypt, Gen. 42-45. Prophecy concerning, Gen. 49:27. Descendants of, Gen. 46:21; Num. 26:38-41. Tribe of Census of, at Sinai, Num. 1:37; in the plain ...

  • David

    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Shimei

    [ebd] famous. (1.) A son of Gershon, and grandson of Levi (Num. 3:18; 1 Chr. 6:17, 29); called Shimi in Ex. 6:17. (2.) A Benjamite of the house of Saul, who stoned and cursed David when he reached Bahurim in his flight from Jerusa...
    [isbe] SHIMEI - shim'-e-i (shim`i, possibly "hear me (El)" or "(Jah)"; Semeei, Semei): A name of frequent occurrence throughout the Old Testament records, sometimes varying slightly in form in English Versions of the Bible. The Kin...
    [smith] (renowned). Son of Gershon the son of Levi, (Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17,29; 23:7,9,10; Zechariah 12:13) called SHIMI in (Exodus 6:17) (B.C. after 1706.) Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of the house of Saul, who l...
    [nave] SHIMEI 1. Called also Shimi. Son of Gershon, Ex. 6:17; Num. 3:18; 1 Chr. 6:17; 23:7, 10. 2. A Benjamite. Curses David; David's magnanimity toward, 2 Sam. 16:5-13; 19:16-23, with 1 Kin. 2:36-46. 3. An officer of David, 1 K...

  • Mephibosheth

    [ebd] exterminator of shame; i.e., of idols. (1.) The name of Saul's son by the concubine Rizpah (q.v.), the daughter of Aiah. He and his brother Armoni were with five others "hanged on a hill before the Lord" by the Gibeonites, a...
    [isbe] MEPHIBOSHETH - me-fib'-o-sheth (mephibhosheth, "idol-breaker," also MERIB-BAAL (which see); Memphibosthe): (1) Son of Saul by his concubine RIZPAH (which see), daughter of Aiah (2 Sam 21:8). See also ARMONI. (2) Grandson of ...
    [nave] MEPHIBOSHETH 1. Son of Saul by Rizpah, whom David surrendered to the Gibeonites to be slain, 2 Sam. 21:8, 9. 2. Son of Jonathan, 2 Sam. 4:4. Called Merib-baal, 1 Chr. 8:34; 9:40. Was lame, 2 Sam. 4:4. David entertains hi...

  • Ziba

    [isbe] ZIBA - zi'-ba (tsibha', tsibha' (2 Sam 16:4a), meaning unknown; Seiba): A former servant or probably dependent of Saul's house (2 Sam 9:1 ff), who was brought to David when the king inquired if there was not a member of Saul...
    [smith] (statue), a servant of Saul whom David made steward of Saul?s son Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 9:2-18; 16:1-4; 19:17,29) [MEPHIBOSHETH] (B.C. 1023.)
    [nave] ZIBA, Saul's servant. His fidelity to Mephibosheth, 2 Sam. 9; to David, 2 Sam. 16:1-4; 19:17, 26-29.

  • Joab

    [ebd] Jehovah is his father. (1.) One of the three sons of Zeruiah, David's sister, and "captain of the host" during the whole of David's reign (2 Sam. 2:13; 10:7; 11:1; 1 Kings 11:15). His father's name is nowhere mentioned, alth...
    [isbe] JOAB - jo'-ab (yo'-abh, "Yahweh is father"; Ioab): (1) Son of Zeruiah, David's sister. He was "captain of the host" (compare 2 Sam 19:13) under David. 1. Joab and Abner: (a) Joab is first introduced in the narrative of the w...
    [nave] JOAB 1. Son of David's sister, 1 Chr. 2:16. Commander of David's army, 2 Sam. 8:16; 20:23; 1 Chr. 11:6; 18:15; 27:34. Dedicated spoils of his battles, 1 Chr. 26:28. Defeated the Jebusites, 1 Chr. 11:6. Defeats and slays ...

  • Treason

    [nave] TREASON. Instances of Of Aaron and Miriam against Moses, Num. 12:1-11. Of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron, Num. 16:1-33. Of Rahab against Jericho, Josh. 2. Of the betrayer of Beth-el, Judg. 1:24, 25. ...

  • Clemency

    [nave] CLEMENCY Of David toward disloyal subjects: Shimei, 2 Sam. 16:5-13; 19:16-23; Amasa, 2 Sam. 19:13, with 2 Sam. 17:25. Divine See: God, Longsuffering of, and Mercy of.

  • Absalom

    [smith] (father of peace),third son of David by Maachah, daughter of Tamai king of Geshur, a Syrian district adjoining the northeast frontier of the Holy Land. (Born B.C. 1050.) Absalom had a sister, Tamar, who was violated by her ha...
    [nave] ABSALOM, called also Abishalom. Son of David by Maacah, 2 Sam. 3:3; 1 Chr. 3:2. Beauty of, 2 Sam. 14:25. Slays Amnon, 2 Sam. 13:22-29. Flees to Geshur, 2 Sam. 13:37, 38. Is permitted by David to return to Jerusalem, 2 Sa...

  • Amnesty

    [nave] AMNESTY For political offenses: To Shimei, 2 Sam. 19:16-23; to Amasa, 2 Sam. 19:13, with 17:25.

  • Sorrow

    [nave] SORROW God takes notice of Hagar's, Gen. 21:17-20; Israelites, Ex. 3:7-10. For sin, 2 Cor. 7:10, 11. See: Repentance; Sin, Confession of. No sorrow in heaven, Rev. 21:4. "Sorrow and sighing shall flee away,'' Isa. 35:10....

  • Reproof

    [nave] REPROOF. Lev. 19:17; Psa. 141:5; Prov. 9:7, 8; Prov. 10:17; Prov. 12:1; Prov. 13:18; Prov. 15:5, 10, 12, 31, 32; Prov. 17:10; Prov. 19:25; Prov. 21:11; Prov. 25:12; Prov. 26:5; Prov. 27:5, 6; Prov. 28:23; Eccl. 7:5; Amos 5:...

  • Slander

    [nave] SLANDER Comes from the evil heart, Luke 6:45. Often arises from hatred, Psa. 109:3. Idleness leads to, 1 Tim. 5:13. The wicked addicted to, Psa. 50:20. Hypocrites addicted to, Prov. 11:9. A characteristic of the devil, ...

  • Parents

    [nave] PARENTS Covenant benefits of, entailed on children, Gen. 6:18; Ex. 20:6; Psa. 103:17. Curses entailed, Ex. 20:5; Lev. 20:5; Isa. 14:20; Jer. 9:14; Lam. 5:7; Ezek. 16:44, 45. Involved in children's wickedness, 1 Sam. 2:27-3...

  • Gera

    [ebd] grain. (1.) The son of Bela and grandson of Benjamin (1 Chr. 8:3, 5,7). (2.) The father of Ehud the judge (Judg. 3:15). (3.) The father of Shimei, who so grossly abused David (2 Sam. 16:5; 19:16, 18).
    [isbe] GERA - ge'-ra (gera', "grain"): A family name of the tribe of Benjamin, hence, not necessarily a separate individual in (3) and (4) below: (1) A son of Benjamin (Gen 46:21). (2) According to 1 Ch 8:3,5,7, son of Bela and gra...
    [nave] GERA Possibly the name of three men; more probably of one. The son of Bela, Gen. 46:21; Judg. 3:15; 2 Sam. 16:5; 19:16, 18; 1 Kin. 2:8; 1 Chr. 8:3, 5, 7.

  • Barzillai

    [isbe] BARZILLAI - bar-zil'-a-i, bar-zil'-i (barzillay; Berzelli, "man of iron" (BDB, but compare Cheyne, Encyclopedia Biblica)): (1) A Gileadite of Rogelim who brought provisions to David and his army to Mahanaim, in their flight ...
    [smith] (iron, i.e., strong). A wealthy Gileadite who showed hospitality to David when he fled form Absalom. (2 Samuel 17:27) (B.C. 1023.) He declined the king?s offer of ending his days at court. (2 Samuel 19:32-39) A Meholat...
    [nave] BARZILLAI 1. A friend of David, 2 Sam. 17:27-29; 19:31-39; 1 Kin. 2:7; Ezra 2:61; Neh. 7:63. 2. Father of Adriel, 2 Sam. 21:8. 3. A priest, Ezra 2:61; Neh. 7:63.

  • Judah

    [nave] JUDAH 1. Son of Jacob, Gen. 35:23. Intercedes for Joseph's life when his brethren were about to slay him, and proposes that they sell him to the Ishmaelites, Gen. 37:26, 27. Takes two wives, Gen. 38:1-6. Dwells at Chezib,...

  • Rogelim

    [ebd] fullers, a town of Gilead, the residence of Barzillai the Gileadite (2 Sam. 17:27; 19:31), probably near to Mahanaim.
    [isbe] ROGELIM - ro'-ge-lim, ro-ge'-lim (roghelim; Rhogelleim): The place whence came Barzillai the Gileadite to succor David in his flight from Absalom (2 Sam 17:27; 19:31). It probably lay near the path followed by David, but it ...
    [smith] (fullers) the residence of Barzillai the Gileadite, (2 Samuel 17:27; 19:31) in the highlands east of the Jordan.
    [nave] ROGELIM, the home of Barzillai, 2 Sam. 17:27; 19:31.

  • Beard

    [ebd] The mode of wearing it was definitely prescribed to the Jews (Lev. 19:27; 21:5). Hence the import of Ezekiel's (5:1-4) description of the "razor" i.e., the agents of an angry providence being used against the guilty nation o...
    [isbe] BEARD - berd: (1) Western Semites in general, according to the monuments, wore full round beards, to which they evidently devoted great care. The nomads of the desert, in distinction from the settled Semites, wore a clipped ...
    [smith] Western Asiatics have always cherished the beard as the badge of the dignity of manhood, and attached to it the importance of a feature. The Egyptians, on the contrary for the most part shaved the hair of the face and head, t...
    [nave] BEARD Worn long by Aaron, Psa. 133:2; Samson, Judg. 16:17; David, 1 Sam. 21:13; Ezek. 5:1. Shaven by Egyptians, Gen. 41:14. Untrimmed in mourning, 2 Sam. 19:24. Plucked, Ezra 9:3. Cut, Isa. 7:20; 15:2; Jer. 41:5; 48:37. ...

  • Amasa

    [ebd] burden. (1.) The son of Abigail, a sister of king David (1 Chr. 2:17; 2 Sam. 17:25). He was appointed by David to command the army in room of his cousin Joab (2 Sam. 19:13), who afterwards treacherously put him to death as a...
    [isbe] AMASA - a-ma'-sa (`amasa', or read `ammishai, i.e. `am yishai, "people of Jesse"): The form `amasa', is based upon a mistaken etymology (from = `amac "to burden"). (1) According to 2 Sam 17:25, Amasa is the son of Abigail, t...
    [smith] (a burden). Son of Ithra, or Jether, by Abigail, David?s sister. (2 Samuel 17:25) He joined in Absalom?s rebellion, B.C. 1023, was appointed commander-in-chief and suffered defeat by Joab. (2 Samuel 18:6) David, incens...
    [nave] AMASA 1. Nephew of David, 2 Sam. 17:25; 1 Chr. 2:17. Joins Absalom, 2 Sam. 17:25. Returns to David, and is made captain of the army, 2 Sam. 19:13. Slain, 2 Sam. 20:8-12; 1 Kin. 2:5, 32. 2. Son of Hadlai, 2 Chr. 28:12.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 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...
  • (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...
  • "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...
  • Again David sinned by multiplying wives (Deut. 17:17). Nevertheless in spite of this sin God continued to bless him with fertility because he was God's elect and, for the most part, God's obedient servant. Fortunately God doe...
  • "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-...
  • 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 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...
  • "The mule was a royal mount; losing his mule [v. 9] Absalom has lost his kingdom."258The text says Absalom's head caught in an overhanging oak branch (v. 9). Josephus interpreted this, perhaps in view of 14:26, as his hair go...
  • "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 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 ...
  • Rehoboam's pride led him into further trouble. He wanted to start a civil war to recapture the throne. Benjamin joined with Judah at this time and remained allied from then on (cf. 2 Sam. 19:16-17). God had to intervene throu...
  • Chapter 21 records the fulfillment of God's second personal promise to David, namely, that He would appoint a place where Israel could dwell securely (17:9). This was a promise of peace for Israel, but as the verses following...
  • Haman covered his head (v. 12) as a sign of his grief (cf. 2 Sam. 15:30; 19:4; Jer. 14:3-4; Ezek. 24:17). His friends evidently realized that unseen forces were maintaining the blessing that they had observed following the Je...
  • The tribal allotments south of this special territory would fall to Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, and Gad. This was the total land to be divided by lot and the tribes' individual portions.The tribe of Benjamin received...
  • 1:2-3 Joel called on everyone, from the most respected ruling elders of the land (cf. 1 Sam. 30:26-31; 2 Sam. 19:11-15; 2 Kings 23:1; Ezra 10:8; Prov. 31:23; Jer. 26:17; Lam. 5:12, 14) to the ordinary inhabitants, to pay atte...
  • 12:1 "The burden . . . concerning Israel"introduces chapters 12-14 as "The burden . . . against the land of Hadrach"(9:1) did chapters 9-11. By describing Yahweh as the creator of the heavens, earth, and man, Zechariah remind...
  • This lamentation should help us realize that the judgment Jesus just announced in such strong language was not something that delighted Him. It broke His heart. This is also clear from His personalizing the people in Jerusale...
  • 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...

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