2 Samuel 20:8-26
Gibeon <01391> [in Gibeon.]
Amasa <06021> [Amasa.]
How <07965> [Art thou.]
Amasa ............. hold ... Amasa's <0270 06021> [took Amasa.]
Thevenot says, that among the Turks it is a great afront to take one by the beard, unless it be to kiss him, in which case they often do it. D'Arvieux, describing an assembly of Arab emirs at an entertainment, says, "After the usual civilities, caresses, kissings of the beard, and of the hand, which every one gave and received according to his rank and dignity, they sat down upon mats." The doing this by the Arab emirs corresponds with the conduct of Joab, and illustrates this horrid assassination.
kiss <05401> [to kiss him.]
Joab .............................. Joab <03097> [in Joab's.]
stabbed <05221> [he smote.]
spill out <08210> [and shed.]
again <08138> [struck him not again. Heb. doubled not his stroke.]
David <01732> [He that.]
David <01732> [for David.]
path <04546> [the highway.]
Abel <059> [Abel.]
Or rather, probably, Abel of Beth-Maachah, as in the next verse. It appears, from Joab having marched "through all the tribes of Israel," to have been situated in the northern confines of the land of Israel, and in the half tribe of Manasseh, east of Jordan, as that was the situation of Maachah, to which it belonged. This agrees with the situation of the Abela which Eusebius and Jerome place between Paneas, or C‘sarea Philippi, and Damascus. Josephus says it was a fortified city, and a metropolis of the Israelites; and also that it belonged to the ten tribes, having been taken from the king of Damascus.
Berite <01276> [Berites.]
[Beeroth.]
prepared <08210> [cast up.]
ramp <05550> [a bank.]
So LXX. generally render {solelah,} by [proschoma or choma;] which latter is described by Potter as "a mount, which was raised so high as to equal, if not exceed, the top of the besieged walls. The sides were walled in with bricks or stones, or secured with strong rafters; the fore part only, being by degrees to be moved near the walls, remained bare."
stood .... outer rampart <02426 05975> [it stood in the trench. or, it stood against the outmost wall. battered, etc. Heb. marred to throw down.]
Listen .... words .......... listening <01697 08085> [Hear the words.]
would <01696> [They were wont, etc. or, They plainly spake in the beginning, saying, Surely they will ask of Abel, and so make an end.]
peaceful <07999> [peaceable.]
important <0517> [a mother.]
swallow up <01104> [swallow.]
inheritance <05159> [the inheritance.]
Get serious <02486> [Far be it.]
swallow up <01104> [that I should.]
man <0376> [a man.]
named <08034> [by name. Heb. by his name. lifted.]
head <07218> [his head.]
wise advice <02451> [in her wisdom.]
blew <08628> [he blew.]
dispersed <06327> [retired. Heb. were scattered. And Joab.]
Joab <03097> [Now Joab.]
Benaiah <01141> [and Benaiah.]
Adoniram <0151> [Adoram.]
secretary <02142> [recorder. or, remembrancer.]
<07864> [Sheva.]
[Shavsha.]
Ira <05896> [Ira.]
[Ithrite. Jairite.]
priest <03548> [chief ruler. or, prince.]
The Hebrew is {cohen ledawid,} which might be rendered, a priest of David; and so the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, and Arabic. The Chaldee has {rav,} a chief or prince: probably he was a kind of domestic chaplain or seer to the king. # 24:11 2Ch 35:15
