2 Samuel 13:1--14:33
Absalom <053> [A.M. 2972. B.C. 1032. A. Ex. Is. 459. Absalom.]
beautiful sister <0269 03303> [a fair sister.]
Tamar <08559> [Tamar.]
love <0157> [loved her.]
frustrated <03334> [vexed.]
Amnon .................... Amnon <0550> [Amnon, etc. Heb. it was marvellous, or hidden, in the eyes of Amnon.]
friend <07453> [a friend.]
Shimeah <08093> [Shimeah.]
Shimeah <08093> [Shimeah. subtil man.]
king's <04428> [Why art.]
depressed <01800> [lean. Heb. thin. from day to day. Heb. morning by morning.]
I love.
brother <0251> [my brother.]
Lie down <07901> [Lay thee.]
make ... couple <03823 08147> [make me.]
took <03947> [she took.]
Dr. Russell says, "The Eastern ladies often wash their own hands, prepare cakes, pastry, etc. in their apartments; and some few particular dishes are cooked by themselves, but not in their apartments: on such occasions, they go to some room near the kitchen."
dough <01217> [flour. or, paste. and made cakes.]
Rather, as Mr. Parkhurst renders, "and tossed it (wattelabbaiv) in his sight, and dressed the tossed cakes (halleveevoth)." This will receive illustration from the account which Mr. Jackson gives of the Arabian manner of kneading and baking. "They have a small place built with clay, between two and three feet high, having a hole at the bottom for the convenience of drawing out the ashes, something similar to that of a brick-kiln. The oven is usually about fifteen inches wide at top, and gradually grows wider to the bottom. It is heated with wood; and when sufficiently hot, and perfectly clear from smoke, having nothing but clear embers at bottom, which continue to reflect great heat, they prepare the dough in a large bowl, and mould the cakes to the desired size on a board or stone placed near the oven. After they have kneaded the cake to a proper consistency, they pat it a little, then toss it about with great dexterity in one hand till it is as thin as they choose to make it. They then wet one side of it with water, at the same time wetting the hand and arm with which they put it into the oven."
[And Ammon.]
Come on .... bed <07901 0935> [Come lie.]
humiliate ... This <06031 03651> [force me. Heb. humble me.]
This <03651> [no such thing ought. Heb. it ought not so.]
foolish thing <05039> [folly.]
speak <01696> [Now therefore.]
humiliated .... raping <06031 07901> [forced her.]
despised her <08130 03966 01419> [hated her.]
her <03966> [exceedingly. Heb. with great hatred greatly.]
robe <03801> [a garment.]
Then .... ashes <03947 0665> [put ashes.]
put ... hands <07760 03027> [laid her.]
Amnon <0550> [Amnon. Heb. Aminon. but hold.]
seriously <07896 01697> [regard not. Heb. set not thine heart on. desolate. Heb. and desolate.]
very angry <03966 02734> [he was very wroth.]
The Septuagint and Vulgate add, [Kai ouk elupese to pneuma Amnon tou huiou autou, hoti egapa auton, hoti prototokos autou en;] et noluit contristare spiritum Amnon filii sui, quoniam diligebat eum, quia primogenitus erat ei: "But he would not grieve the soul of Amnon his son, for he loved him because he was his first-born." The same addition is found in Josephus; and it is probable that it once formed a part of the Hebrew text.
said <01696> [spake.]
good <02896> [neither good.]
hated <08130> [hated.]
sheepshearers <01494> [A.M. 2974. B.C. 1030. An. Ex. Is 461. sheep-shearers.]
invited <07121> [invited.]
king ............ king <03212 04428> [let the king.]
pressed <06555> [pressed.]
blessed <01288> [blessed.]
brother <0251> [let my brother.]
He urged this with the more plausibility because Amnon was the first-born, and presumptive heir to the crown; and he had dissembled his resentment so long and so well that he was not suspected.
Absalom <053> [Absalom.]
instructed ................................. instructions <06680> [commanded.]
<03820 02896> [heart is merry.]
instructed ....................... fear ........... instructions <03372 06680> [fear not.]
instructed ................................. instructions <06680> [have not I. or, Will you not, since I have, etc.]
<01121> [valiant. Heb. sons of valour.]
servants <05288> [servants.]
rode <07392> [gat him up. Heb. rode. mule.]
Then <06965> [arose.]
servants <05650> [all his servants.]
Jonadab <03122> [Jonadab.]
Shimeah <08093> [Shimeah.]
[Shammah. David's brother.]
This was a very bad man: he had given his cousin Amnon the most detestable advice; and here speaks coolly of a most bloody tragedy of which he had been the cause.
talked <06310> [appointment. Heb. mouth. determined. or, settled.]
lord <0113> [let not my lord.]
Absalom fled <01272 053> [Absalom fled.]
[as they servant said. Heb. according to the word of thy servant.]
wept loudly <03966 01065> [very sore. Heb. with a great weeping greatly.]
Absalom fled <01272 053> [Absalom fled.]
As Absalom had committed wilful murder, he could not avail himself of a city of refuge; but went to Talmai, king of Geshur, his maternal grandfather.
Talmai <08526> [Talmai.]
Ammihud <05991> [Ammihud. or, Ammihur.]
[A.M. 2974-2977. B.C. 1030-1027. An. Ex. Is. 461-464.]
Geshur. This was not the Geshur lying between Philistia and Egypt, (Jos 13:13. 1 Sa 27:8,) but another in Syria; probably the same as that beyond Jordan, whose inhabitants are joined with those of Maachathi, De 3:14. Jos 12:5.
king <04428> [the soul of.]
longed <03615> [longed. or, was consumed.]
consoled <05162> [comforted.]
Joab <03097> [A.M. 2977. B. C. 1027. An. Ex. Is. 464. Joab.]
Absalom <053> [toward Absalom.]
Tekoa <08620> [to Tekoah.]
Tekoah was a city of Judah, situated, according to Eusebius and Jerome, twelve miles south of Jerusalem. Josephus says it was not far from the castle of Herodium; and Jerome (Prologue to Amos) says it stood on a hill six miles south from Bethlehem. Dr. Poccocke places it at the same distance; and says there are still considerable ruins on the top of a hill, which is about half a mile long and a furlong broad.
[Tekoa. mourning.]
fashion Then ... told <07760 01697> [put the words.]
bowed ..... face <05307 0639> [fell on her.]
help <03467> [Help. Heb. Save.]
<061> [I am indeed.]
It is very possible that the principal incidents mentioned here were real; and that Joab found out a person whose circumstances bore a near resemblance to that which he wished to represent. She did not make the similitude too plain and visible, lest the king should see her intention before she had obtained a grant of pardon; and thus her circumstances, her mournful tale, her widow's dress, her aged person, (for Josephus says she was advanced in years,) and her impressive manner, all combined to make one united irresistible impression on the heart of the aged monarch.
two ..... two <08147> [and they two.]
intervene <05337> [none to part. Heb. no deliverer between.]
family <04940> [the whole.]
extinguish <03518> [so they.]
extinguish <03518> [quench.]
face .... earth <06440 0127> [upon the earth. Heb. upon the face of the earth.]
instructions <06680> [I will give.]
blame <05771> [the iniquity.]
king ..... king .................. king <04428> [and the king.]
king <04428> [let the king.]
avenger <01350> [thou, etc. Heb. the revenger of blood do not multiply to destroy. the revengers.]
Lord .......................... Lord <03068> [As the Lord.]
hair <08185> [not one hair.]
servant <08198> [Let thine.]
said ............... matter .... Tell <01697 01696> [speak one word.]
said .................. Tell <01696> [Say on.]
devised <02803> [Wherefore.]
people <05971> [people.]
king ............ king <04428> [in that the king.]
die <04191> [we must.]
water <04325> [as water.]
God <0430> [neither, etc. or, because God hath not taken away his life, he hath also devised means, etc. God.]
devises <02803> [he devise.]
security <04496> [comfortable. Heb. for rest. as an angel.]
This is very much like the hyperbolical language which is addressed by the Hindoos to an European when they desire to obtain something from him: "Saheb," say they, "can do every thing. No one can prevent the execution of Saheb's commands. Saheb is God." Though the expression may be imputed to the hyperbolical genius of these countries, yet there was, perhaps, more of real persuasion than we are apt to suppose. Sir John Chardin states, that having found fault with the king of Persia's valuation of a rich trinket, the grand master told him that if a Persian had dared to have done such a thing, it would have been as much as his life was worth. "Know," said he, "that the kings of Persia have a general and full knowledge of matters, as sure as it is extensive; and that, equally in the greatest and smallest things, there is nothing more just and sure than what they pronounce."
<08085> [to discern. Heb. to hear.]
hide ... information <03582 01697> [Hide not.]
Joab ............................................ Joab <03097> [of Joab.]
live <05315> [As thy soul.]
right <03231> [turn.]
put <07760> [he put.]
change <05437> [fetch.]
wisdom <02451> [according.]
knows <03045> [to know.]
do <06213> [I have done.]
<01288> [thanked. Heb. blessed.]
found <04672> [I have found.]
face ............. servant ........................ servant <06440 05650> [his. or, thy.]
Geshur <01650> [Geshur.]
see ............... see <07200> [let him not.]
Israel <03478> [But in all Israel, etc. Heb. And as Absalom there was not a beautiful man in all Israel to praise greatly.]
sole <03709> [from the sole.]
shave ............. shave ............ shave <01548> [when he polled.]
three pounds <08255 03967> [two hundred shekels.]
If the shekel be allowed to mean the common shekel, the amount will be utterly incredible; for Josephus says that "two hundred shekels make five {min‘:}" and the {mina,} he says, "weighs two pounds and a half;" which calculation makes Absalom's hair weigh twelve pounds and a half! But it is probable that the king's shekel was that which Epiphanius and Hesychius say was the fourth part of an ounce, half a {stater,} or two drachms: the whole amount, therefore, of the 200 shekels is about 50 ounces, which make 4 lb. 2 oz. troy weight, or 3 lb. 2 oz. avoirdupois. This need not be accounted incredible, especially as abundance of oil and ointment was used by the ancients in dressing their heads. Josephus informs us, that the Jews also put gold dust in their hair.
had <03205> [born.]
Tamar <08559> [Tamar.]
seeing ... king's <07200 04428> [A.M. 2977-2979. B.C. 1027-1025. An. Ex. Is. 464-466. and saw not.]
willing ................... willing <014> [but he would.]
to ........... adjacent <03027 0413> [near mine. Heb. near my place. go and set.]
Absalom's <053> [And Absalom's.]
better <02896> [it had been.]
am ... fault <03426> [if there.]
Absalom ........ Absalom ................ kissed <05401 053> [A.M. 2979. B.C. 1025. An. Ex. Is. 466. kissed Absalom.]
